U.S. Rep. James Comer | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Rep. James Comer | Official U.S. House headshot
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) appeared on "Varney & Company" with Stuart Varney on Fox Business to discuss a committee report released today titled “Examining Widespread Failures and Fraud in Pandemic Unemployment Relief Programs.” He criticized the Biden-Harris Administration's handling of pandemic unemployment programs, attributing historic fraud levels to what he described as unchecked spending.
“We estimate 11 to 15 percent of benefits paid during the pandemic were straight fraud. Nearly $200 billion dollars and there is no remorse from this Administration. They have done nothing to hold anyone accountable for this theft and abuse of tax dollars. This can still be happening as we speak. Even worse, the Biden-Harris Administration wants to continue these pandemic unemployment insurance programs with no changes. The very first hearing we had when I became Chairman of the Oversight Committee was about pandemic unemployment insurance fraud. We have been all over this and this has been all under the watch of the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Chairman James Comer.
“This is why we have issued this report. It has specific recommendations on how to make changes. Many states have outdated software systems that are vulnerable to hacks. There was no oversight from the federal government on who was administering all this money. Many federal and state employees were involved in schemes to apply and get money. We also found many recipients receiving unemployment funds were receiving more than what they made while working. The whole program was a disgrace to the taxpayers and this Administration is refusing to do anything to fix this problem,” continued Chairman James Comer.
The report outlines solutions aimed at preventing future instances of fraud in taxpayer-funded unemployment insurance programs by addressing vulnerabilities in state software systems, enhancing federal oversight, and ensuring that recipients do not receive more than their previous earnings while employed.
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