Floor SpeechNeutral2026-01-20

VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION ACT OF 2025

TaxesEnvironmentDefenseTradeEducationSocial SecurityLaborTechnologyVeterans

Context

On 2026-01-20, Representative Mike Bost (R-IL-12) delivered a floor speech titled "VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION ACT OF 2025" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered the environment, defense. It referenced legislation: HR1663.

Full Text

VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION ACT OF 2025

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 13 (Tuesday, January 20, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 20, 2026)] [House] [Pages H937-H939] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION ACT OF 2025 Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1663) to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1663 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion Act of 2025'' or the ``VSAFE Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION OFFICER. (a) In General.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``Sec. 326. Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer ``(a) Establishment.--There is in the Department a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, who shall-- ``(1) be responsible for fraud and scam prevention, reporting, and incident response plans at the Department; and ``(2) serve as a central point of contact to direct veterans to resources to prevent and mitigate fraud and scams. ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer shall carry out the following responsibilities: ``(1) Providing comprehensive communication from the Secretary to employees of the Department and veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors during strategic and time-sensitive fraud and scam incidents. ``(2) Establishing consistent guidance across the enterprise for employees as well as veterans, their families, caregivers, and [[Page H938]] survivors on how to identify, report, and avoid fraud and scam attempts. ``(3) Promoting the VSAFE Fraud Hotline and VSAFE.gov website of the Department (and any successor resources) and identifying other identity theft resources available to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors, including with respect to actions made by the Secretary to protect the identities of veterans and their beneficiaries. ``(4) Developing methods to monitor fraud and scam metrics within the Department to-- ``(A) provide internal and external reporting; ``(B) enable advanced data analytics; and ``(C) facilitate proactive and robust fraud and scam trend identification. ``(5) Developing comprehensive training plans for Department employees fielding fraud and scam inquiries and reports. ``(6) Coordinating with the Inspector General of the Department and other Federal departments and agencies, including the Executive Office of the President, the Office of Management and Budget, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Justice, the Department of State, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, the Social Security Administration, and other relevant agencies to-- ``(A) develop a whole-of-Government view within the Department to improve fraud prevention efforts within the Department; ``(B) identify the proper avenues for veterans to report fraud attempts and receive assistance; and ``(C) identify opportunities for coordination with such departments and agencies. ``(7) Consulting with veterans service organizations and State, local, and tribal governments, as necessary, to improve understanding of potential fraud and scam risks to veterans. ``(c) Full-Time Employees.--Nothing in this section authorizes an increase in the number of full-time employees otherwise authorized for the Department. ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Office of Inspector General of the Department as otherwise provided in this title or in chapter 4 of title 5 (commonly referred to as the Inspector General Act of 1978). ``(e) Sunset.--The requirements and authorities of this section shall terminate on September 30, 2030.''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: ``326. Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer.''. SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION. Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``January 31, 2033'' and inserting ``March 31, 2033''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois. General Leave Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1663, as amended. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois? There was no objection. Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1663, as amended, offered by Representative Calvert from California. This bill would protect veterans from scams and fraud that may target the benefits they earned through service. Too many veterans, along with their families, caregivers, and survivors, are being hit with savvy fraud schemes designed to steal personal information, drain bank accounts, and even redirect VA benefits to bad actors. When these scams happen, veterans often don't know where to turn inside the Federal system. The VSAFE Act would take direct action to fix this issue. This bill would add dedicated veterans scam and fraud evasion officer positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This would rightfully build up VA's fraud prevention and response efforts across VA, so this problem is treated like a real threat, not just an afterthought. Representative Calvert's bill would also require VA to improve communications during urgent fraud incidents, so veterans and their families are not left in the dark while scammers continue to strike. By building up VA's existing antifraud tools, adding new ones where necessary, we can combat fraud head-on. Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, veterans should never lose their hard-earned benefits because the system failed to protect them from criminals. The VSAFE Act should strengthen the accountability, improve prevention, and give veterans the support and protection they deserve. This bill takes an important step toward safeguarding veterans and strengthening trust in the VA system, and I am proud to support it. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1663, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in hesitant support of H.R. 1663, the Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion, or VSAFE, Act, as amended. I fully support the intention of this bill and strongly encourage the Department to fully resource the VSAFE program established under President Biden. However, the actions taken by the Trump administration over the last year will significantly hinder the great work that has been accomplished by the VSAFE Task Force, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is, unfortunately, more pressing than ever. According to the Federal Trade Commission, veterans reported some of the highest numbers of fraud complaints and greatest total losses in 2024, amounting to nearly $600 million. Veterans also continually face higher losses than their civilian counterparts, with median losses reported around $700, which is over $200 higher than the general population. Both the FTC and CFPB have done important work in identifying the most pressing scams and fraudulent activities that target veterans and their families. These include scams like credit card fraud, investment schemes, and imposter scams, which seek to impersonate government officials, technology support, or even love interests to collect money or gain access to veterans' personal systems. They have also identified the threat of multilevel marketing schemes and other ``business opportunities,'' like Amway, Mary Kay, and Herbalife, who regularly target veterans, servicemembers, and their families under the guise of patriotism, flexible hours, and financial independence. I applaud my colleague, Representative Delia Ramirez, for offering an amendment to require specific trainings on these tactics to provide veterans and their families with clear, actionable guidance to protect their hard-earned benefits. It is unfortunate that this commonsense amendment was voted down by the Republican members of our committee. Lastly, I find it ironic that these same Republican colleagues want to advance this legislation while our President actively dismantles the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one of the only agencies set up to protect military and veteran consumers. This is ironic. Since its inception in 2008, the CFPB has returned more than $21 billion--that is billion with a b--back to consumers, which includes hundreds of millions of dollars to servicemembers and veterans impacted by violations of the Military Lending Act. Unfortunately, President Trump has determined that those who served our Nation no longer deserve protections against bad actors who seek to profit off their benefits. As fraudsters' ability to create more complex scams and become more convincing in their deceit thanks to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, the time to create informed and resourced tools is now. H.R. 1663 marks a step in the right direction, but I urge my congressional colleagues to do more to help protect our Nation's veterans against these scams. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Someday, I would li

Referenced legislation: HR1663, HR1663

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VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION ACT OF 2025 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 13 (Tuesday, January 20, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 20, 2026)] [House] [Pages H937-H939] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION ACT OF 2025 Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1663) to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1663 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion Act of 2025'' or the ``VSAFE Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. VETERANS SCAM AND FRAUD EVASION OFFICER. (a) In General.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``Sec. 326. Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer ``(a) Establishment.--There is in the Department a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, who shall-- ``(1) be responsible for fraud and scam prevention, reporting, and incident response plans at the Department; and ``(2) serve as a central point of contact to direct veterans to resources to prevent and mitigate fraud and scams. ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer shall carry out the following responsibilities: ``(1) Providing comprehensive communication from the Secretary to employees of the Department and veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors during strategic and time-sensitive fraud and scam incidents. ``(2) Establishing consistent guidance across the enterprise for employees as well as veterans, their families, caregivers, and [[Page H938]] survivors on how to identify, report, and avoid fraud and scam attempts. ``(3) Promoting the VSAFE Fraud Hotline and VSAFE.gov website of the Department (and any successor resources) and identifying other identity theft resources available to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors, including with respect to actions made by the Secretary to protect the identities of veterans and their beneficiaries. ``(4) Developing methods to monitor fraud and scam metrics within the Department to-- ``(A) provide internal and external reporting; ``(B) enable advanced data analytics; and ``(C) facilitate proactive and robust fraud and scam trend identification. ``(5) Developing comprehensive training plans for Department employees fielding fraud and scam inquiries and reports. ``(6) Coordinating with the Inspector General of the Department and other Federal departments and agencies, including the Executive Office of the President, the Office of Management and Budget, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Justice, the Department of State, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, the Social Security Administration, and other relevant agencies to-- ``(A) develop a whole-of-Government view within the Department to improve fraud prevention efforts within the Department; ``(B) identify the proper avenues for veterans to report fraud attempts and receive assistance; and ``(C) identify opportunities for coordination with such departments and agencies. ``(7) Consulting with veterans service organizations and State, local, and tribal governments, as necessary, to improve understanding of potential fraud and scam risks to veterans. ``(c) Full-Time Employees.--Nothing in this section authorizes an increase in the number of full-time employees otherwise authorized for the Department. ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Office of Inspector General of the Department as otherwise provided in this title or in chapter 4 of title 5 (commonly referred to as the Inspector General Act of 1978). ``(e) Sunset.--The requirements and authorities of this section shall terminate on September 30, 2030.''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: ``326. Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer.''. SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION. Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``January 31, 2033'' and inserting ``March 31, 2033''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois. General Leave Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1663, as amended. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois? There was no objection. Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1663, as amended, offered by Representative Calvert from California. This bill would protect veterans from scams and fraud that may target the benefits they earned through service. Too many veterans, along with their families, caregivers, and survivors, are being hit with savvy fraud schemes designed to steal personal information, drain bank accounts, and even redirect VA benefits to bad actors. When these scams happen, veterans often don't know where to turn inside the Federal system. The VSAFE Act would take direct action to fix this issue. This bill would add dedicated veterans scam and fraud evasion officer positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This would rightfully build up VA's fraud prevention and response efforts across VA, so this problem is treated like a real threat, not just an afterthought. Representative Calvert's bill would also require VA to improve communications during urgent fraud incidents, so veterans and their families are not left in the dark while scammers continue to strike. By building up VA's existing antifraud tools, adding new ones where necessary, we can combat fraud head-on. Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, veterans should never lose their hard-earned benefits because the system failed to protect them from criminals. The VSAFE Act should strengthen the accountability, improve prevention, and give veterans the support and protection they deserve. This bill takes an important step toward safeguarding veterans and strengthening trust in the VA system, and I am proud to support it. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1663, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in hesitant support of H.R. 1663, the Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion, or VSAFE, Act, as amended. I fully support the intention of this bill and strongly encourage the Department to fully resource the VSAFE program established under President Biden. However, the actions taken by the Trump administration over the last year will significantly hinder the great work that has been accomplished by the VSAFE Task Force, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is, unfortunately, more pressing than ever. According to the Federal Trade Commission, veterans reported some of the highest numbers of fraud complaints and greatest total losses in 2024, amounting to nearly $600 million. Veterans also continually face higher losses than their civilian counterparts, with median losses reported around $700, which is over $200 higher than the general population. Both the FTC and CFPB have done important work in identifying the most pressing scams and fraudulent activities that target veterans and their families. These include scams like credit card fraud, investment schemes, and imposter scams, which seek to impersonate government officials, technology support, or even love interests to collect money or gain access to veterans' personal systems. They have also identified the threat of multilevel marketing schemes and other ``business opportunities,'' like Amway, Mary Kay, and Herbalife, who regularly target veterans, servicemembers, and their families under the guise of patriotism, flexible hours, and financial independence. I applaud my colleague, Representative Delia Ramirez, for offering an amendment to require specific trainings on these tactics to provide veterans and their families with clear, actionable guidance to protect their hard-earned benefits. It is unfortunate that this commonsense amendment was voted down by the Republican members of our committee. Lastly, I find it ironic that these same Republican colleagues want to advance this legislation while our President actively dismantles the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one of the only agencies set up to protect military and veteran consumers. This is ironic. Since its inception in 2008, the CFPB has returned more than $21 billion--that is billion with a b--back to consumers, which includes hundreds of millions of dollars to servicemembers and veterans impacted by violations of the Military Lending Act. Unfortunately, President Trump has determined that those who served our Nation no longer deserve protections against bad actors who seek to profit off their benefits. As fraudsters' ability to create more complex scams and become more convincing in their deceit thanks to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, the time to create informed and resourced tools is now. H.R. 1663 marks a step in the right direction, but I urge my congressional colleagues to do more to help protect our Nation's veterans against these scams. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Someday, I would li Referenced legislation: HR1663, HR1663