{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshall-joins-colleagues-in-calling-for-senate-vote-on-comprehensive-anti-fraud-package/", "Senator Marshall Joins Colleagues in Calling for Senate Vote on Comprehensive Anti-Fraud Package", "2026-07-17", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KS", "Roger Marshall", "M001198", "www.marshall.senate.gov", "marshall", "https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington \u2013 U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Senate Republican colleagues in calling on the Senate to take up the Protecting American Taxpayers Act, a comprehensive package of anti-fraud reforms that would recover taxpayer dollars, prevent future fraud, and strengthen accountability across the federal government.\n\nThe package includes Senator Marshall\u2019s WALZ Act, legislation that would help prevent fraud by requiring payments to be made as reimbursements only after services have been provided \u2014closing loopholes that have allowed billions in taxpayer dollars to be stolen.\n\n\u201cFraudsters are always looking for the next weak spot, and for years Washington has made their job far too easy,\u201d said Senator Marshall. \u201cPresident Trump has brought a renewed focus to rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse, and Congress should seize this opportunity to make those reforms permanent. I\u2019m proud to work with Senator Ernst on this legislation and pleased that my WALZ Act is included in the package. Together, these reforms close the loopholes that have cost taxpayers billions and better protect the hard-earned dollars of Kansas families.\u201d\n\nThe Protecting American Taxpayers Act is projected to save taxpayers $240 billion by preventing fraud before it occurs, recovering stolen funds, and holding criminals accountable. The legislation bundles together 16 bipartisan anti-fraud initiatives aimed at strengthening oversight of federal spending and protecting taxpayer resources.\n\nThe package includes provisions to:\n\nRecover wasteful federal funds:\n\nRequire federal payments to be made as reimbursements only after services have been provided through Senator Marshall\u2019s WALZ Act, helping prevent fraudulent upfront payments.\n\nPrevent individuals convicted of defrauding the Small Business Administration from receiving future federal assistance.\n\nClaw back more than $65 billion in unused COVID-19 funds.\n\nIncentivize Inspectors General to identify and recover taxpayer dollars lost to fraud.\n\nIncrease transparency by requiring detailed reporting on improper payments in the President\u2019s annual budget.\n\nProtect taxpayer dollars:\n\nStrengthen accountability for employment outcomes in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.\n\nProhibit federal funds from going to countries subject to U.S. travel bans or arms embargoes.\n\nIncrease transparency around U.S. cash assistance in Afghanistan to help prevent taxpayer dollars from reaching terrorist organizations.\n\nStop fraudsters and hold them accountable:\n\nEstablish a federal task force to combat AI-generated deepfake scams.\n\nExtend the statute of limitations for investigating and prosecuting COVID-era fraud.\n\nStrengthen Treasury payment verification and fraud detection systems.\n\nRequire individuals conducting international wire transfers to certify they are not receiving public assistance.\n\nStrengthen scam prevention protections for America\u2019s veterans.\n\nClose loopholes in federal whistleblower protections to encourage reporting of fraud and abuse.\n\nClick here to read the full text of the legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-18T06:58:50Z", "2026-07-18T07:00:34Z"]], "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://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshall-joins-colleagues-in-calling-for-senate-vote-on-comprehensive-anti-fraud-package/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7702740840613842, "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"}