Q: How much money has your 1986 anti-fraud amendments helped recover?
A: The U.S. Justice Department announced in December that the whistleblower provisions I pushed through 16 years ago to strengthen a Civil War-era anti-fraud law have recovered $1 billion to the U.S. Treasury for the third year in a row. That pushes the false claims recovery to $10 billion tax dollars returned to the U.S. Treasury since 1986. And $6 billion of those funds recovered are attributable to my "qui tam" amendments that allow private citizens to file suit on behalf of the government. The announcement reinforces how critical it is to keep up aggressive enforcement of the laws that provide incentives and protections for fraud fighters on the front lines. It takes courage for folks to come forward and blow the whistle on an employer, professional acquaintance or colleague who is gaming the system and fraudulently charging Uncle Sam. The U.S. Treasury is not a cash cow for wrongdoers to milk dry. As a senior lawmaker in the U.S. Senate, I will continue to serve as the taxpayer’s watchdog in Washington and carry on the legacy launched by President Abraham Lincoln. When he signed the original False Claims Act into law in 1863 to keep profiteers from bilking the Union Army, he understood the key contribution private citizens could make to expose fraud and report wrongdoing on those who do business with the government.
Q: Which areas of government seem ripest for fraud?
A: When I started my anti-fraud crusade back in the 1980s, I sought to dismantle the cozy relationship between defense contractors and the Pentagon. My amendments withstood fierce opposition from industry insiders and their sympathizers in the Defense Department and in Congress. After winning that battle, our updates to the law faced and withstood a constitutional challenge. As a result, whistleblowers are empowered to file suit on behalf of the United States against those who fraudulently claim federal funds, including Medicare, Medicaid, disaster assistance and other benefits, subsidies, grants, loans and contract payments. Today I have 10 billion reasons and counting why I'm glad our side prevailed. Unquestionably, the False Claims Act is a valuable tool in prosecuting fraud. And perhaps even more significantly, it serves as a strong deterrent to keep those who otherwise may be tempted to pluck Uncle Sam’s chicken from getting their sticky fingers into the hen house. In recent years, the False Claims Act has yielded tremendous returns to American taxpayers gleaned from the health care system. According to the Justice Department figures for fiscal year 2002, the False Claims Act helped recover $980 million from health care fraud. That’s an astonishing figure that underscores the positive impact of the False Claims Act, especially as Congress hammers out a way to afford a Medicare prescription drug benefit. As a federal policymaker who understands the challenges of jump-starting a recovering economy, addressing budget deficits, and funding key social programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and unemployment benefits, I know it's essential for Washington to account for every tax dollar and make sure it is well spent. That’s why I will keep working to make sure nothing happens to undermine the utility and strength of the False Claims Act.