Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens protections and enforcement against fraud targeting veterans' benefits—helping veterans and preserving program funds—while increasing criminal penalties and enforcement activity that raise legal risks for accused individuals and require more federal resources.
Veterans and their dependents gain stronger legal protections against schemes targeting veterans' benefits, reducing benefit losses and improving chances to recover fraudulently diverted funds.
Veterans and taxpayers benefit from expanded federal enforcement authority that is likely to deter fraud and help preserve program funds for legitimate beneficiaries.
Individuals accused of benefit fraud face felony exposure with penalties (up to 5 years imprisonment), raising legal risk and potential long-term collateral consequences for defendants.
Taxpayers and federal employees may see increased federal costs and DOJ caseloads as enforcement and prosecutions of benefit-related schemes rise.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes knowingly defrauding an individual of veterans' benefits a federal crime punishable by fines and up to five years imprisonment.
Creates a new federal crime for knowingly executing or attempting any scheme to defraud an individual of veterans' benefits or in connection with obtaining veterans' benefits, punishable by fines, imprisonment up to five years, or both. Defines "veteran" by reference to existing law and defines "veterans' benefits" to include any federal benefit for a veteran, dependent, or survivor.
Official title: Amend title 18, United States Code, to provide an additional tool to prevent certain frauds against veterans, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 24, 2026 by Catherine Marie Cortez Masto · Last progress June 24, 2026