H.R. 8873 · 119th Congress
Recover COVID Unemployment Fraud in Banks Act
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Passed the House without a recorded vote. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted. Its text can still change before it becomes law.
R
Van DuyneSponsor2 cosponsors · 1 D, 1 R
1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
- House Introduced May 19, 2026
- House Passed Jun 29, 2026
This bill extends 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 bill also establishes a task force to locate fraudulent payments and develop strategies to recover such payments.
What it does: CRS summary · Reported to House · May 29, 2026
Recover COVID Unemployment Fraud in Banks Act
This bill extends 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 bill also establishes a task force to locate fraudulent payments and develop strategies to recover such payments.
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 (currently subject to a 5-year statute of limitations); and (2) civil actions involving false claims (currently subject to a 6-year statute of limitations). 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.
The task force established by this bill must
- coordinate with state agencies to identify federal pandemic unemployment compensation payments held by financial institutions and other entities or held by state agencies responsible for unclaimed property,
- coordinate with federal agencies to develop model processes that result in the cost-effective recovery of such payments,
- issue guidance to financial institutions on legal pathways for returning such payments, and
- issue guidance to state unclaimed property agencies on their obligation to review and return such payments.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Recover COVID Unemployment Fraud in Banks Act
Latest action (Jul 13, 2026): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector · Origin: House · Introduced: May 19, 2026
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
- House Introduced May 19, 2026
- House Passed Jun 29, 2026
No recorded floor vote found.