By: Breccan F. Thies | The Federalist
Welfare programs were created in a ‘high trust’ America that no longer exists.
THE WHITE HOUSE — Vice President J.D. Vance has been leading the charge against billions in taxpayer fraud. But to mobilize the entire federal government in combating the theft, Vance said Wednesday, Congress needs to create harsher punishments for fraudsters and force states to share data for welfare recipients.
Vance hosted a roundtable with members of Congress at the White House midweek, attempting to hammer out plans for legislation to strengthen the executive branch’s ability to investigate fraud and expand prosecutors’ options to penalize Americans and illegals committing fraud.
Since the start of Vance’s anti-fraud task force, the group has uncovered $230 billion in fraud, with Vance noting the force was “conservatively estimating” the total, and stopped $56 billion in payments that were on their way to fraudsters.
Along the way, however, the task force has found some roadblocks to being able to uncover and stop even more fraud. Vance said there are three primary areas that need congressional approval to advance the mission: data sharing, stiffer legal punishments, and funding.
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