Goodlatte Applauds House Passage of Bill to Protect Veterans from Criminal Exploitation and Fraud

Washington, D.C. -- The House of Representatives today approved by voice vote the Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act (H.R. 506), introduced by Representative Tom Rooney (R-Fla.). This bipartisan legislation, which was approved by the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year, punishes those who knowingly scheme to defraud veterans of their federal benefits. Specifically, this bill closes a loophole that allows bad actors to escape punishment by committing the fraud in person, and provides federal prosecutors with an additional tool to combat fraudsters. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) praised today’s House approval of the Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act in the statement below. Chairman Goodlatte: “Fraudsters preying upon our nation’s heroes for profit deserve to be punished to the full extent of the law. The Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act eliminates loopholes in our current law and provides an additional tool to hold wrongdoers accountable for their reprehensible actions. I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their strong work on behalf of veterans, and I urge the Senate to pass this bill without delay.” Background: H.R. 506, the Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act, amends title 18, U.S. Code, to penalize those who execute a scheme to defraud a veteran of his or her benefits. Penalties include a fine, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. This bill is similar to legislation that was approved by the House Judiciary Committee and subsequently passed the full House of Representatives in 2016.

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