COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 826
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Commerce
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-02T20:54:51Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 826 – COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation requires the Inspector General of the Small Business Administration to issue regular public reports tracking fraud in specific COVID-19-related loans, aiming to increase oversight and transparency regarding the use of these federal funds.
Key Provisions
- Reporting Requirement: Beginning 60 days after enactment and every three months thereafter, the Small Business Administration Inspector General must submit a report to the House Committee on Small Business and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- Report Contents: Each report must cover the relevant period and include:
- The total number and dollar amount of covered loans issued.
- The number of new fraud and suspected fraud cases.
- The number of fraud cases resolved.
- Descriptions of the types of fraud involved.
- Definition of Covered Loans: Includes loans under sections 7(a)(36) and 7(a)(37) of the Small Business Act (commonly known as Paycheck Protection Program loans) and loans under section 7(b) of the same Act made in response to COVID-19.
- Sunset Clause: The reporting requirement ends two years after the date of enactment.
- Funding: No new appropriations are authorized to implement the Act.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The Act introduces a new, time-limited quarterly reporting obligation for the Small Business Administration Inspector General. It does not amend or repeal any existing statutes but adds a specific transparency measure focused on COVID-19 loan programs.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for the Small Business Administration Inspector General in compiling and submitting fraud data.
- Citizens: Provides greater public and congressional visibility into fraud patterns among loan recipients, which may indirectly support efforts to recover misused funds.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- The Small Business Administration and its Inspector General.
- Congressional committees responsible for small business oversight.
- Recipients of covered COVID-19 loans (primarily small businesses).
- Taxpayers, due to the connection between loan fraud and federal expenditures.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The legislation focuses on enhancing congressional oversight of executive branch loan programs through mandatory reporting. It raises no apparent constitutional concerns, as it involves standard inspector general functions. Politically, it addresses ongoing concerns about fraud in pandemic relief programs without altering the underlying loan authorities.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- 2026-06-23: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2026-06-23: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4141)
- 2026-06-23: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- 2026-06-23: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 826.
- 2026-06-23: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4141-4142)
- 2026-06-23: Mr. Williams (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2026-06-03: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 590.
- 2026-06-03: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 119-677.
- 2026-06-03: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 119-677.
- 2026-05-20: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 0.
- 2026-05-20: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-23 — PDF (4 pages)
- COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (3 pages)
- COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (3 pages)
- COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-03 — PDF (6 pages)