Recover COVID Unemployment Fraud in Banks Act
Sponsored By: Representative Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
Passed House
Summary
Recover improperly distributed pandemic unemployment payments by creating a National Recovery Coordinator and an interagency Task Force to identify and recover Federal pandemic unemployment benefits held by banks or turned over to State unclaimed property officials. This bill would set model processes, notices, and guidance to help states, financial institutions, and affected individuals identify and return those funds.
Show full summary
- Families and individuals: The Task Force must provide a model notice and information developed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about resources and legal pathways for people whose identity was used to get pandemic unemployment payments. This aims to help victims find recovery options when banks or State unclaimed property offices hold those funds.
- State agencies: The Task Force must create model procedures for reviewing payments, determining improper payments, and setting cost-effective recovery thresholds. The Secretary of Labor would reimburse States for administrative costs they incur while coordinating under existing CARES Act authorities.
- Banks and unclaimed property administrators: The Task Force must issue guidance, coordinated with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, on returning improper pandemic unemployment payments to the appropriate State agency or federal recipient.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
10-year window to prosecute jobless fraud
This bill would give prosecutors and agencies up to 10 years to bring criminal or civil cases for fraud tied to pandemic unemployment claims. It would cover claims funded by PUA, FPUC, MEUC, or PEUC under the CARES Act. It would apply to listed federal fraud, identity theft, wire/mail/bank fraud, money laundering, and False Claims Act laws. It would not restart cases whose time limits ran out before enactment. If enacted, this would take effect on the date of enactment.
Task force to recover unemployment funds
This bill would create a National Recovery Coordinator at the Labor Department. Within 30 days of enactment, the Coordinator would convene a federal Task Force with Justice, Treasury, FDIC, and CFPB. The Task Force would work with states to find pandemic unemployment payments on prepaid debit cards or sent to state unclaimed property. It would issue guidance on how to review payments, set cost‑effective recovery thresholds, and act when fraud is found under state law. It would create notices and resources for identity‑theft victims, and direct banks and unclaimed‑property offices to return improper payments to the right state agency. States would be repaid for administrative costs tied to this work. Covered payments would include PUA, FPUC, MEUC, and PEUC.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]
NY • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4]
IA • R
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov