Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4901
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T04:53:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of S. 4901: Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation aims to create a specific federal criminal penalty for schemes that defraud veterans or their families of benefits provided under federal law.
Key Provisions
- Adds a new section (1353) to Chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code, establishing the offense of fraud regarding veterans' benefits.
- Makes it a crime for any person to knowingly carry out or attempt a scheme or artifice to defraud an individual of veterans' benefits, or to obtain such benefits for that individual.
- Sets penalties of a fine under title 18, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both.
- Defines "veteran" by reference to section 101 of title 38 and "veterans' benefits" as any federal benefit for a veteran or their dependent or survivor.
- Includes a clerical amendment to update the table of sections in chapter 63.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a targeted federal crime specifically addressing fraud involving veterans' benefits, which supplements broader existing fraud statutes under title 18.
- Provides an explicit enforcement tool focused on this category of benefits without altering prior definitions or general fraud provisions.
Potential Impacts
- Strengthens protections for veterans and their families by enabling federal prosecution of related fraud schemes.
- May increase investigative and prosecutorial workload for federal agencies handling veterans' benefits and criminal cases.
- Applies only to U.S. domestic matters involving federal benefits, with no direct effects on international relations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Veterans, dependents, and survivors eligible for federal benefits.
- Federal agencies responsible for veterans' programs and law enforcement.
- Individuals or entities engaging in fraudulent schemes targeting these benefits.
- Congress, through its role in oversight of veterans' policy.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Establishes a new specific criminal statute that could raise questions about overlap with existing wire fraud or mail fraud laws, though it remains within Congress's authority to regulate federal benefits.
- Reflects a bipartisan effort to address veteran-specific fraud through targeted legislation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (2 pages)