Bonuses for Cost-Cutters and Fraud Preventers Act of 2026

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 428) to amend title 5, United States Code, to enhance the authority under which Federal agencies may pay cash awards to employees for making cost saving disclosures, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 428, the Bonuses for Cost- Cutters and Fraud Preventers Act of 2026.

This bill expands existing incentives for Federal employees to identify and disclose waste and abuse before American tax dollars are spent.

Without incentives to disclose wasteful spending, Federal employees who are most likely to identify and halt such spending may not speak up.

It was because of instances like these that in 1981 Congress created a cash awards program to encourage employees to take proactive action to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. This program was so successful that it was made permanent just over a decade later.

Over the years, these authorities have resulted in creative ideas coming from agency employees themselves, contributing to the saving of millions in taxpayer dollars. These cost-cutting ideas included allowing veterans to use otherwise safe, discarded medicine and eliminating wasteful printing of the Federal Register.

It is time that Congress does more to expand the cost-saving potential of Federal employees by expanding these authorities.

H.R. 428, as amended, increases incentives for Federal employees by allowing cash awards for reporting wasteful spending and improper payments before funds go out the door.

The best way to recover misspent tax dollars is to not misspend them in the first place. I support this important legislation, which helps preserve Congress' constitutional role in the appropriations process and helps reduce wasteful spending.

I thank Congressman Chuck Fleischmann for bringing this creative solution to preventing fraud to the Oversight Committee and for working with the committee to expand it to address improper payments.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisanship bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann).

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 428, Bonuses for Cost-Cutters and Fraud Preventers Act of 2026, which establishes additional incentives for Federal employees to identify wasteful expenses or improper payments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. Let me begin by stating a straightforward fact: The Federal Government spends excessively, and much of these funds are wasted. The Bonuses for Cost- Cutters and Fraud Preventers Act of 2026 offers a practical solution to ensure that taxpayers' hard-earned dollars are wisely managed and efficiently.

This legislation takes our existing Federal rewards program, a program that already rewards employees who identify fraud, waste, and mismanagement, and expands it. Under this legislation, any Federal employee who identifies wasteful operational expenses that an agency itself determines are not required for its stated purpose can bring that information forward. The agency will then be required to propose those funds for rescission. On top of that, we double the maximum cash award available to employees who identify wasteful spending.

Federal employees are often the first to recognize when funds are allocated to outdated programs or when bureaucratic practices prioritize institutional interests over those of taxpayers. For too long, there has been no incentive to speak up, and in some cases real disincentives have existed. This bill addresses that issue.

Tennessee's Third District, my district, is home to thousands of dedicated Federal employees at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and other Federal sites throughout our region.

These hard-working public servants take their responsibility to taxpayers seriously. H.R. 428 honors their commitment by giving them a meaningful role in eliminating waste and rewarding them for delivering results to the people who fund our government.

We are taking these steps at a critical moment. The American people have given us a clear mandate to rein in spending. This administration is actively working to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse across the Federal Government.

The efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency reflect the same mandate, and H.R. 428 supports that mission by establishing a permanent statutory framework that will endure beyond any one administration.

It is also important to emphasize that this is not a partisan bill. Taxpayers in Tennessee, and across the Nation, regardless of party, do not want their money wasted. They expect a government that is accountable, efficient, and worthy of their trust.

I have worked on this legislation for years, and I am proud that the Oversight Committee has advanced it.

Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, this is a commonsense, fiscally responsible, pro-taxpayer bill. I urge everyone to support it.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 428, as well, the Bonuses for Cost- Cutters and Fraud Preventers Act 2026. This bipartisan bill would increase the maximum cash bonus awarded to Federal employees who report waste, fraud, and abuse, from $10,000 to $20,000. Increasing this award will encourage more Federal workers to come forward and report on waste and improper spending. It will reward employees for acting in the best interest of American taxpayers.

The bill also requires agencies to report on the wasteful and improper spending reported by employees, promoting transparency.

I thank my colleagues for their work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing.

Increasing the bonus for identifying waste, fraud, and abuse will save taxpayer dollars, make government more efficient, reward honest workers, and increase accountability.

I thank my colleagues again for this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.