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S. 1199 would extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting fraud related to certain COVID-19 emergency business relief programs. Specifically, the bill would allow federal prosecutors and enforcement agencies ten years instead of five years to file criminal charges or take legal action against those accused of fraudulently obtaining funds from programs including the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and Paycheck Protection Program. The extended timeframe would apply to various federal crimes including fraud, conspiracy, false statements, and financial crimes related to these programs.
The bill addresses concerns that pandemic relief programs were quickly rolled out during the crisis and may have been vulnerable to fraudulent activities. Estimates suggest billions in pandemic relief funds were obtained fraudulently. By extending the prosecution window, the bill would give investigators and prosecutors more time to uncover complex fraud schemes and hold perpetrators accountable. The bill has passed committee review and is eligible for a floor vote in the Senate.
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Apr 2, 2025 · 18:30
On April 2, 2025, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a business meeting to advance the nominations of William Briggs of Texas to be Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration and Casey Mulligan of Illinois to be Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the SBA. The committee also considered S. 1199, the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act, during this session. The Briggs and Mulligan nominations had been the subject of a confirmation hearing on March 12, 2025. Committee Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) expressed support for both nominees, emphasizing the need for strong leadership at the SBA and highlighting Mulligan's background in evaluating the costs of regulations on small businesses. Ranking Member Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and other Democratic committee members opposed advancing the nominations, expressing concerns about the direction of the SBA under the Trump administration. S. 1199 would extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting fraud related to pandemic-era SBA programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. The bill would allow federal prosecutors 10 years from the date of a fraudulent act to file charges, compared to shorter previous time limits, giving investigators more time to pursue COVID-era fraud cases. On April 2, the committee advanced both nominations to the full Senate for consideration. A hearing does not guarantee that nominations will be confirmed or that legislation will advance further in the legislative process.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 16, 2025
Jul 16, 2025 · 18:30
On July 16, 2025, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a business meeting to consider four pieces of legislation aimed at supporting small businesses. The bills examined were S.1555 (Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act), which increases loan limits for small manufacturers; S.1199 (SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act), which extends the statute of limitations for fraud prosecutions in pandemic relief programs; S.2232 (Expanding the Surety Bond Program Act), which increases contract limits for the SBA's surety bond guarantee program; and S.1703 (Rural Small Business Resilience Act), which requires the SBA to improve outreach and access to disaster assistance in rural areas. No witnesses testified at this business meeting, as it was a committee markup session rather than a hearing. The committee considered and advanced these bills for further Senate action. S.1555 would raise loan limits for small manufacturers under the Small Business Act from $3.75 million to $7.5 million for certain loans and from $4.5 million to $9 million for others, while also increasing limits under the Small Business Investment Act from $5.5 million to $10 million. S.1199 would extend the statute of limitations from five to ten years for fraud prosecutions related to pandemic relief programs including the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and Restaurant Revitalization Fund. S.2232 would increase the surety bond program contract limit to $20 million. S.1703 would require the SBA to conduct targeted outreach and provide marketing materials to rural communities affected by disasters. The committee's approval of these bills does not guarantee their passage in the full Senate. Each bill must still be debated and voted on by the entire chamber before advancing further in the legislative process.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Ernst with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Ernst with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
Dec 10, 2025
Dec 10, 2025 · 19:30
The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a hearing on December 10, 2025, to examine three bills aimed at reducing government waste and fraud. S.1199, the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act, would extend the statute of limitations to 10 years for fraud prosecutions related to pandemic relief programs including the Paycheck Protection Program, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. S.3173, the Stop 8(a) Contracting Fraud Act, would impose a moratorium on the Small Business Administration's sole-source contracts under its 8(a) Business Development Program until the agency completes a comprehensive audit and submits findings to Congress, with limited exceptions for national security. S.1991, the Delivering On Government Efficiency in Spending Act, would require federal agencies to report detailed information about each payment they authorize, including the payment's purpose and funding source, and to verify this information annually for inclusion in Treasury's disbursement system. The committee received testimony from four witnesses: Courtney LaFountain, Acting Director of Financial Markets and Community Investment at the Government Accountability Office; Luke Rosiak from The Daily Wire; Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette from the Project On Government Oversight; and John Hart from Open the Books. The hearing reflected broader concerns about fraud in federal programs and the need for greater oversight and transparency in government spending. The bills represent efforts to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and improve accountability in federal contracting and pandemic relief administration. A hearing does not guarantee that bills will advance to a vote or become law.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
Feb 25, 2026
Feb 25, 2026 · 14:30
On February 25, 2026, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship focused on restoring integrity in small business programs, particularly addressing fraud in pandemic-era relief initiatives. The committee examined S.1199, the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act, which extends the statute of limitations to 10 years for criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions related to fraud in several pandemic-era Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance programs. The bill covers fraud in the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Committee Chair Joni Ernst highlighted widespread fraud in SBA COVID relief programs and called on Congress to pass the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act before the statute of limitations expires, noting that weak oversight and reliance on self-certification opened the door to an estimated $200 billion in fraudulent loans. The committee's focus centered on the need to extend enforcement timelines so investigators have adequate time to pursue fraud cases before existing statutes of limitations expire. The hearing examined how pandemic relief programs, while providing critical support to small businesses, were vulnerable to fraud due to inadequate verification procedures. The committee emphasized the importance of extending enforcement authority to hold bad actors accountable and recover stolen taxpayer funds. Like all legislative hearings, this examination does not guarantee the bill will advance to a full Senate vote.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
Mar 18, 2026
Apr 2, 2025 · 18:30
On April 2, 2025, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a business meeting to advance the nominations of William Briggs of Texas to be Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration and Casey Mulligan of Illinois to be Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the SBA. The committee also considered S. 1199, the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act, during this session. The Briggs and Mulligan nominations had been the subject of a confirmation hearing on March 12, 2025. Committee Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) expressed support for both nominees, emphasizing the need for strong leadership at the SBA and highlighting Mulligan's background in evaluating the costs of regulations on small businesses. Ranking Member Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and other Democratic committee members opposed advancing the nominations, expressing concerns about the direction of the SBA under the Trump administration. S. 1199 would extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting fraud related to pandemic-era SBA programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. The bill would allow federal prosecutors 10 years from the date of a fraudulent act to file charges, compared to shorter previous time limits, giving investigators more time to pursue COVID-era fraud cases. On April 2, the committee advanced both nominations to the full Senate for consideration. A hearing does not guarantee that nominations will be confirmed or that legislation will advance further in the legislative process.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 16, 2025
Jul 16, 2025 · 18:30
On July 16, 2025, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a business meeting to consider four pieces of legislation aimed at supporting small businesses. The bills examined were S.1555 (Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act), which increases loan limits for small manufacturers; S.1199 (SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act), which extends the statute of limitations for fraud prosecutions in pandemic relief programs; S.2232 (Expanding the Surety Bond Program Act), which increases contract limits for the SBA's surety bond guarantee program; and S.1703 (Rural Small Business Resilience Act), which requires the SBA to improve outreach and access to disaster assistance in rural areas. No witnesses testified at this business meeting, as it was a committee markup session rather than a hearing. The committee considered and advanced these bills for further Senate action. S.1555 would raise loan limits for small manufacturers under the Small Business Act from $3.75 million to $7.5 million for certain loans and from $4.5 million to $9 million for others, while also increasing limits under the Small Business Investment Act from $5.5 million to $10 million. S.1199 would extend the statute of limitations from five to ten years for fraud prosecutions related to pandemic relief programs including the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and Restaurant Revitalization Fund. S.2232 would increase the surety bond program contract limit to $20 million. S.1703 would require the SBA to conduct targeted outreach and provide marketing materials to rural communities affected by disasters. The committee's approval of these bills does not guarantee their passage in the full Senate. Each bill must still be debated and voted on by the entire chamber before advancing further in the legislative process.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Ernst with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Ernst with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
Dec 10, 2025
Dec 10, 2025 · 19:30
The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a hearing on December 10, 2025, to examine three bills aimed at reducing government waste and fraud. S.1199, the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act, would extend the statute of limitations to 10 years for fraud prosecutions related to pandemic relief programs including the Paycheck Protection Program, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. S.3173, the Stop 8(a) Contracting Fraud Act, would impose a moratorium on the Small Business Administration's sole-source contracts under its 8(a) Business Development Program until the agency completes a comprehensive audit and submits findings to Congress, with limited exceptions for national security. S.1991, the Delivering On Government Efficiency in Spending Act, would require federal agencies to report detailed information about each payment they authorize, including the payment's purpose and funding source, and to verify this information annually for inclusion in Treasury's disbursement system. The committee received testimony from four witnesses: Courtney LaFountain, Acting Director of Financial Markets and Community Investment at the Government Accountability Office; Luke Rosiak from The Daily Wire; Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette from the Project On Government Oversight; and John Hart from Open the Books. The hearing reflected broader concerns about fraud in federal programs and the need for greater oversight and transparency in government spending. The bills represent efforts to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and improve accountability in federal contracting and pandemic relief administration. A hearing does not guarantee that bills will advance to a vote or become law.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
Feb 25, 2026
Feb 25, 2026 · 14:30
On February 25, 2026, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship focused on restoring integrity in small business programs, particularly addressing fraud in pandemic-era relief initiatives. The committee examined S.1199, the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act, which extends the statute of limitations to 10 years for criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions related to fraud in several pandemic-era Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance programs. The bill covers fraud in the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Committee Chair Joni Ernst highlighted widespread fraud in SBA COVID relief programs and called on Congress to pass the SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act before the statute of limitations expires, noting that weak oversight and reliance on self-certification opened the door to an estimated $200 billion in fraudulent loans. The committee's focus centered on the need to extend enforcement timelines so investigators have adequate time to pursue fraud cases before existing statutes of limitations expire. The hearing examined how pandemic relief programs, while providing critical support to small businesses, were vulnerable to fraud due to inadequate verification procedures. The committee emphasized the importance of extending enforcement authority to hold bad actors accountable and recover stolen taxpayer funds. Like all legislative hearings, this examination does not guarantee the bill will advance to a full Senate vote.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
Mar 18, 2026