S. 2428 · 117th Congress
False Claims Amendments Act of 2021
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 117th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
R
GrassleySponsor4 cosponsors · 2 D, 2 R
4 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill revises procedures under the False Claims Act (FCA), a law that rewards whistleblowers (known as relators) who bring claims on behalf of the government by allowing them to share in the recovery in cases where the government recovers funds lost to fraud.
What it does: CRS summary · Reported to Senate · Nov 16, 2021
False Claims Amendments Act of 2021
This bill revises procedures under the False Claims Act (FCA), a law that rewards whistleblowers (known as relators) who bring claims on behalf of the government by allowing them to share in the recovery in cases where the government recovers funds lost to fraud.
To be recoverable under the FCA, a fraud must meet, among other conditions, standards for materiality. In determining materiality, the decision of the government to forego a refund or to pay a claim despite actual knowledge of fraud or falsity shall not be considered dispositive if other reasons exist for that decision with respect to such refund or payment.
In dismissing an action over the objections of the relator, the government must identify a valid government purpose and a rational relation between dismissal and accomplishment of the purpose. The relator must have the opportunity to show that the dismissal is fraudulent, arbitrary and capricious, or contrary to law.
The bill extends relief from retaliatory actions to former employees.
The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the FCA.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: False Claims Amendments Act of 2021
Latest action (Nov 16, 2021): Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 166.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Jul 22, 2021
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.