Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) celebrated the House's passage of the National Fraud Enforcement Division Act, a bill he cosponsored, in a recent statement.
What the Bill Does
Rep. Hamadeh's National Fraud Enforcement Division Act codifies the new division created by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in April into a permanent part of the Department of Justice (DOJ), which, as its name suggests, will streamline federal fraud investigations and prosecutions, and further proposes legislative solutions to vulnerabilities in the system.
Specifically, the bill also creates the position of Assistant Attorney General to oversee the division, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Rep. Hamadeh cosponsored the bill with Representatives Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Harriet Hageman (R-WY), and Michelle Fischbach (R-MN).
What Hamadeh is Saying
"I want to thank my colleagues for passing this critical legislation," the Arizona congressman said in a press release. "The criminals, who have created the need for this enforcement effort, have not only stolen taxpayer dollars, but have victimized the most vulnerable in our society by depleting the resources allocated for their needs."
Hamadeh further described the case of Maurice Marcell Williams, a Peoria man recently indicted for fleecing Arizona's Medicaid agency out of $33 million in one year, which he used to buy property and a luxury vehicle for himself.
"He specifically targeted AHCCCS enrollees who were covered under the American Indian Health Care Program," Hamadeh said in condemning Williams. "He exploited vulnerable people to buy expensive property and luxury items. These federal funds are finite, so not only did he target a vulnerable population, but his thievery also serves to weaken the crucial safety net Americans need for education, medical care, retirement, and more."
Other Anti-Fraud Efforts
Last March, the Arizona congressman introduced the Standardized Accreditation Information for Veteran Ease (SAVE) Act, unrelated to the election integrity measure, which improves the accrediting of individuals and organizations assisting veterans in filing benefits claims by requiring them to create and use a certification symbol for websites and other promotional materials and establishes civil penalties for those who misuse the symbol.
