# H.R. 1156 (119th): Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act

Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act This bill extends from 5 to 10 years the statute of limitations for federal criminal charges or civil enforcement actions for fraud related to several unemployment insurance programs that were established during the COVID-19 pandemic. The extension applies to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. The bill extends the statute of limitations for (1) criminal charges related to fraud, including aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit fraud; and (2) civil actions involving false claims. However, the bill does not apply to a criminal prosecution or civil enforcement action if the applicable statute of limitations expired before the date of the bill's enactment. Additionally, the bill rescinds specified unobligated funds that were provided in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to the Department of Labor for anti-fraud and program integrity activities.

## How this bill is scored

Tier: no Tier 1 record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Lane: abuse_accountability. Category: justice_truth. Lane tag: general equity.
Lane: appropriations. Category: corruption_stewardship. Lane tag: general equity.
Lane: fraud_enforcement. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: justice. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: rescission. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: statute_of_limitations. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Tier 1 sign-off: no record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Stored polarity: mixed. Only tags the rules mark scoreable on a mixed bill are scored. A yea can draw a penalty or a credit according to the tag. A nay on a tag scored as good can draw a penalty.
Roll 68: On Passage. Vote type: final_passage.
Polarity rationale: Reviewed enrichment (llm_import) polarity: The core enforcement extension is a legitimate justice measure that aids prosecution of fraud against public funds, which is a real good. However, the rescission of unobligated anti-fraud and program integrity funds introduces a genuine concern about reducing enforcement capacity. The combination of an ordinary justice good with a prudential funding concern places the bill in the mixed category. The existing tag abuse_accountability is a poor fit because that scoreable category is limited to abuse and trafficking, not unemployment fraud, so the existing good polarity is not supported by the metadata.
Theological note: Scripture requires honest weights and just dealing (Proverbs 11:1), and civil authority bears the sword for restraining fraud and theft (Romans 13:4). Extending the time to prosecute fraud against public funds touches general equity and stewardship of public trust. The rescission of unobligated anti-fraud funds raises a separate question of whether public stewardship is served by reducing the capacity to prevent that fraud. The bill does not directly advance or restrain a named moral evil like abuse or coercion, so the issue is one of prudential justice and governance.

## Recorded votes

Roll 68: On Passage. Yea 295 · Nay 127 · Other 10.

HTML: https://justmeasure.org/bill/hr-1156-119/