Bill > HR8464

This bill, titled the "Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act," amends Title 31 of the United States Code to grant federal agencies the authority to temporarily pause, condition, or segment payments if there's a strong indication of fraud or an improper payment that could lead to financial loss to the government, or if the Secretary of the Treasury issues an order to do so. Agencies must base these actions on objective, documented fraud-risk indicators, apply them narrowly to the risky portion of a payment, and limit the pause to the minimum time needed for verification. Payees will be notified of the pause, the reason for it, and the review process, and will have a chance to contest factual inaccuracies. Payments must generally be issued within 45 days of the initial determination or 7 days after a payee contests the action. The bill also allows agencies to segment payments, letting routine, consistent amounts proceed while holding back unusual or high-risk portions for review. Exemptions are provided for law enforcement activities, and government officials acting in good faith under this section will not be personally liable. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, will issue regulations to implement these provisions.