Rep. Grothman Newsletter- Investigating COVID Fraud

What's Ahead

1. Investigating COVID-19 Relief Fraud.

2. Committee Assignments.

3. Weekly Roundup.

4. My Contact Information.

Investigating COVID-19 Relief Fraud

Over the past several years, Congress has appropriated trillions of dollars in relief funds to help respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and bring back jobs. Unfortunately, it has come to light that the taxpayer dollars used to fund these relief programs were left at risk of being misused and lost to fraud and abuse because virtually no protections or guardrails were instituted. The full extent of fraud in COVID relief programs is not yet known, but I am working to conduct meaningful oversight of where this money went and who was committing the fraud.

The improper payments that have been uncovered raise more questions than answers:

At least $163 billion in pandemic unemployment benefits were improperly paid since the start of the program, with a significant portion attributable to fraud.
Around $80 billion in funds from the Economic Injury and Disaster Loans program have been lost to payments that were fraudulently obtained.
An estimated $76 billion - $100 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans were lost to improper payments.

This week, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee convened for our first hearing of the new year, which focused on investigating the rampant waste of taxpayer dollars in COVID relief programs. The American people deserve answers on the extent of the fraud and how this was made possible in the first place. Moving forward, we must ensure that federal agencies have reliable protections in place to shield government funds from fraudsters and bad actors.

Committee Assignments

In the 118th Congress, it is my honor to continue serving you and all residents of the Sixth District on three prominent committees in the House of Representatives — the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, the Education and the Workforce Committee, and the Budget Committee. Additionally, I was named to serve as Chairman of the Oversight Committee's Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs.

Through these assignments, I'm ready to hold government agencies and officials accountable, promote all forms of higher education and technical training, and restore fiscal responsibility in Washington. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, it is my duty to preserve and promote the interests of the American people on the world stage. This Subcommittee will make sure our veterans are treated fairly and with respect, our borders are not taken advantage of, and the United States’ relationship with other countries are upheld justly.

I have served on all these committees in the past and look forward to continuing to bringing our Wisconsin common-sense to the table.

Weekly Roundup

On Wednesday, it was a pleasure welcoming Boris Johnson to our Republican Study Committee meeting. We spoke about the need to uphold individual liberties and promote human rights on the world stage.

Americans have returned to the office, but federal employees still enjoy lax remote work policies. This has caused delays for veterans receiving benefits and families’ receiving tax returns.

Click the video below to watch my speech from the House Floor on the SHOW Up Act, which will ensure our government finally gets back to work. The bill passed the House this week with my support.

Click the image above for more information

It was an honor to attend the Lomira Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and present the recipients of the 2022 Outstanding Citizen Award, Roy and Jeanette Rohlinger, with a Congressional commendation.

Last weekend, I had a wonderful time with my friends from ABATE of Wisconsin at their Mid-Winter Brat Fry in Plymouth. Together we are working to enhance the safety of motorcyclists on the road.

Thank you to the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Sheboygan for having me at your pancake breakfast fundraiser last week!

It was great spending time in Sheboygan at 3 Sheep’s Brewing to raise money for Above & Beyond Children’s Museum.

Contact Me

As your Congressman, I’m here to serve you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to my offices in Fond du Lac and Washington. If you enjoyed this newsletter, be sure to forward it to your family and friends so they can stay informed on what I’m doing in Washington and the Sixth District, and let them know that they can subscribe by clicking here.

You can also stay up-to-the-minute by following me on Facebook (Congressman Glenn Grothman), Twitter (@RepGrothman) and Instagram (@RepGlennGrothman).

Sincerely,

Glenn Grothman
Member of Congress