{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-introduces-walz-act-crack-down-government-fraud-and-protect", "Miller-Meeks Introduces WALZ Act to Crack Down on Government Fraud and Protect Taxpayers", "2025-12-22", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "IOWA \u2014 In response to the massive fraud scandal uncovered in Minnesota, where an estimated $9 billion or more in taxpayer funds was lost to fraudulent claims and shell operations, Congresswoman Mariannette Miller\u2011Meeks (IA\u201101) today introduced the Welfare Abuse and Laundering Zillions (WALZ) Act, comprehensive legislation aimed at preventing similar fraud across the nation\n\n\u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing in Minnesota is a jaw\u2011dropping failure of leadership, nearly $9 billion lost to fraud under Governor Tim Walz\u2019s watch,\u201d said Miller\u2011Meeks. \u201cThis is what happens when soft\u2011on\u2011crime Democrat policies run unchecked: zero accountability, zero oversight, and taxpayers left holding the bag. The WALZ Act is named for a reason, to ensure this level of negligence can never be repeated anywhere else in America. Our bill puts hard safeguards in place to protect taxpayer dollars, shut the door on scam artists, and bring real accountability back to government programs.\u201d\n\nThe Minnesota scandal revealed widespread exploitation of social services and welfare programs, with fraudulent billing, fake claims, and ghost providers draining state and federal resources meant for vulnerable Americans. Investigators described the operation as \u201cindustrial\u2011scale fraud,\u201d reflecting systemic weaknesses in verification and oversight.\n\nThe WALZ Act would:\n\nEnhanceVerification and Real\u2011Time Audits: Implement robust verification standards and real\u2011time financial audits on programs that disburse federal and state funds, closing loopholes exploited by fraudsters.\n\nTrigger Mandatory Investigations: Unexplained spikes in claims \u2014 like those seen in Minnesota, would automatically prompt federal and state investigators to examine program accounts immediately.\n\nStrengthen Accountability for State Agencies: Require clear reporting, documentation checks, and consequences for failures in oversight, eliminating the \u201crubber\u2011stamped\u201d approvals that allow fraud to flourish.\n\nProtectBenefits for Legitimate Recipients: Direct resources only to verified beneficiaries and legitimate service providers, ensuring funds reach the people programs are intended to help.\n\nEstablish Uniform National Safeguards: Set a national standard for transparency and anti\u2011fraud protections that states must meet to receive federal funding.\n\nThe WALZ Act would help ensure that fraud on the scale seen in Minnesota cannot take root in Iowa or other states, preserving essential funds for education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social support.\n\nRepresentative Miller\u2011Meeks stressed that taxpayers deserve government systems built on accountability and transparency, not waste and abuse.\n\n\u201cThis legislation isn\u2019t just a reaction to fraud, it\u2019s a proactive solution to restore trust in government programs and protect working families from having their hard\u2011earned tax dollars stolen.\u201d Miller\u2011Meeks added.\n\nTo read the full bill text for the WALZ Act, click HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-introduces-walz-act-crack-down-government-fraud-and-protect"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3227330055087805, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}