Half a dozen GOP lawmakers are requesting data to build a case for making the National Fraud Enforcement Division permanent and expanding its legal authority.
The stand-alone litigating division within the Justice Department, investigating and prosecuting the theft or fraudulent misuse of taxpayer dollars, could be set in stone.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, Missouri Republican, and five of his Republican colleagues sent a letter Friday to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald requesting high-impact case data, recovery figures and statutory gaps.
Once the inquiry is answered by the Aug. 24 deadline, legislation could be drafted to cement the National Fraud Enforcement Division in statute, The Washington Times has learned.
But actions taken by the recently announced GOP-led Senate Anti-Fraud Task Force, which could entail probes, hearings or legislation, will depend on the information the Justice Department produces.
The Senate task force, a squad of nine Republican senators, was unveiled last week as an independent congressional effort to examine fraud, waste and abuse in federal programs. The task force is working in parallel with Trump administration efforts, which include the National Fraud Enforcement Division and the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Among the lawmakers’ requests are to make the National Fraud Enforcement Division a permanent division with dedicated funding, nationwide jurisdiction, expanded data-sharing, longer statutes of limitations, and mandatory minimum sentences for large-scale fraud.
Quarterly fraud metrics since Jan. 20, plus fiscal 2026 and 2027 projections, which include cases opened, indictments, convictions, dollars recovered and sentences, were also requested.
The senators also inquired about high-impact case details, specifically about immigration benefit fraud and “elite-institution” fraud involving universities, nonprofits, hospitals and Big Tech contractors.
As for election integrity, they requested information on voter-roll cleanup status, election-fraud prosecutions, immigration-fraud schemes, interstate cases and any state-federal cooperation barriers, such as sanctuary policies.
“The Senate Anti-Fraud Task Force is especially concerned with fraud schemes that undermine the constitutional foundations of self-government: honest elections, lawful citizenship, equal enforcement of federal law, federal-state cooperation, and Congress’ ability to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent consistent with law,” the letter reads.
Spearheaded by Mr. Schmitt and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Republican, the Senate task force is intended to augment GOP-led efforts to address fraud or investigate additional avenues beyond what the Trump administration is doing and into future administrations.
Federal task forces have been more focused on welfare fraud and abuse by taxpayer-funded contractors, while the Senate task force is probing rule-of-law, state and federal cooperation, and lawful citizenship issues.
Three members of the Senate task force, including Ms. Blackburn, did not sign Friday’s letter. Co-signers include GOP Sens. Tim Sheehy of Montana, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Ashley Moody of Florida, Roger Marshall of Kansas and Katie Britt of Alabama.
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