Washington (March 9, 2026) – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and James Lankford (R-OK), and a group of Republican colleaguesintroduced the Stop Unemployment Fraud Act to strengthen safeguards against fraud in the unemployment insurance system and protect taxpayer dollars.
“The unemployment system should benefit Americans who are looking to get back on their feet, not scammers,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We’re eliminating the waste, fraud, and abuse in the system, saving taxpayer dollars and serving people who actually need it.”
“Making the government more efficient isn’t a partisan issue, it’s an American issue,” said Senator Lankford. “During COVID, fraudsters exploited loopholes in the unemployment system and stole billions while taxpayers were left with the bill. This legislation strengthens verification, improves coordination between states, and ensures benefits go to the Americans who actually qualify, not criminals exploiting the system.”
The Stop Unemployment Fraud Act would:
- Strengthen identity verification requirements for unemployment claimants
- Require states to cross-check claims using fraud detection systems to prevent duplicate or improper payments
- End the “pay and chase” model by ensuring benefits are not issued before eligibility is verified
- Strengthen work-search requirements and federal oversight of state compliance
- Allow states to retain a portion of recovered overpayments to invest in fraud prevention and program administration
Cassidy and Lankford were joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Steve Daines (R-MT) and U.S. Representatives Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-16), Adrian Smith (R-NE-03), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24), Randy Feenstra (R-IA-04), Max Miller (R-OH-07), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19), Blake Moore (R-UT-01), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01), Carol Miller (R-WV-01), Vince Fong (R-CA-20), and Aaron Bean (R-FL-04) in introducing the legislation.
