S 2428 United States Senate · 117th Congress

False Claims Amendments Act of 2021

Summary
False Claims Amendments Act of 2021 This bill revises procedures under the False Claims Act (FCA), a law that rewards whistleblowers (known as relators) who bring claims on behalf of the government by allowing them to share in the recovery in cases where the government recovers funds lost to fraud. To be recoverable under the FCA, a fraud must meet, among other conditions, standards for materiality. In determining materiality, the decision of the government to forego a refund or to pay a claim despite actual knowledge of fraud or falsity shall not be considered dispositive if other reasons exist for that decision with respect to such refund or payment. In dismissing an action over the objections of the relator, the government must identify a valid government purpose and a rational relation between dismissal and accomplishment of the purpose. The relator must have the opportunity to show that the dismissal is fraudulent, arbitrary and capricious, or contrary to law. The bill extends relief from retaliatory actions to former employees. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the FCA.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jul 2021
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Jul 22, 2021 Last action Nov 16, 2021
Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
2
Committee
3
Nov 16, 2021
Upper · Passed
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
upper
Oct 28, 2021
Upper · Passed
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
upper
Jul 22, 2021
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
upper
Jul 22, 2021
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors