The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation to permanently establish President Donald Trump’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, a federal office created earlier this year by executive action. The measure garnered significant bipartisan support, with a vote of 352-72, marking a rare instance of congressional unity on an initiative originating from the Trump administration. The vote ensures the division, which investigates fraud in federal government and taxpayer-funded programs, will be codified into federal law, shielding it from potential dissolution by future administrations.
"This conversation is about a piece of legislation. It’s about a piece of legislation that we want to be enacted into law. It’s not a partisan initiative. It’s a permanent, nonpartisan commitment that we do something better because the people who are listening here… the people who are watching, they’re getting tired of it." Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J.
President Trump initially established the National Fraud Enforcement Division through an executive order to centralize and enhance federal efforts against fraud impacting government resources and individual citizens. Prior to Wednesday's vote, the division’s continued existence depended on presidential discretion. The new legislation anchors the office directly into federal statute, providing it with a lasting legal foundation and a dedicated leadership structure. This includes the creation of an Assistant Attorney General post, which will oversee the division’s activities across all taxpayer-funded initiatives, subject to Senate confirmation.
The legislative action saw robust support across the aisle, with not a single Republican voting against the measure. Notably, more than 140 Democratic members, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), broke from their party's typical stance on Trump-era initiatives to vote in favor of the bill. This broad consensus underscores a shared congressional priority regarding the need for robust fraud enforcement.
Despite the strong bipartisan outcome, the division has not been without its critics and controversy since its inception. Vice President JD Vance previously highlighted potential fraud in Minnesota state-run programs, flagging Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison for possible investigation. Both Minnesota officials have acknowledged that substantial fraud occurred under their watch, though they have denied any role in enabling it. These cases were frequently cited by Republicans during the House debate as evidence of a broader problem requiring permanent federal oversight.
During floor debate, some Democrats expressed reservations even as they supported the bill. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), despite voting yes, offered a biting assessment of the legislation. "This is hardly some kind of great breakthrough in law enforcement or criminal justice," Raskin stated, dismissing the measure as "perhaps the least offensive piece of legislative flotsam and jetsam that has washed ashore in the last 48 hours of Republican chaos and retreat here in the House of Representatives." Raskin also engaged in a pointed exchange with Republicans, separating his support for the bill from his broader criticisms of the administration's policies, including presidential pardons for white-collar offenders. "It would be very easy for me to say I reject everything you do because you’re on the side of this pro-fraud president, but I’m not doing that," Raskin remarked.
Conversely, Republican proponents emphasized the non-partisan nature and necessity of the bill. Representative Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) rejected claims of a partisan agenda, framing the bill as a straightforward effort to convert a temporary executive order into permanent law. "This conversation is about a piece of legislation. It’s about a piece of legislation that we want to be enacted into law. It’s not a partisan initiative. It’s a permanent, nonpartisan commitment that we do something better because the people who are listening here… the people who are watching, they’re getting tired of it," Van Drew asserted, highlighting public exhaustion with government waste. He stressed the importance of addressing the issue head-on, stating, "They’re getting tired of all the money that has been wasted. And to try to pretend that just a few years ago, a couple of years ago, everything was perfect, everything was taken care of and that there was no corruption, we know better."
Representative Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) echoed concerns about the scale of fraud, particularly referencing the Minnesota cases. "What has come out of Minnesota over the last year, what has been exposed, is absolutely criminal in nature," Hageman warned, suggesting such scandals might represent only a fraction of a larger, systemic issue, especially in "blue cities and blue states run by Democrats."
The passage of this bill by the House marks a significant step towards institutionalizing the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration. If approved by the Senate, it will proceed to President Trump’s desk for his signature, solidifying a key administrative initiative into enduring federal law aimed at combating waste and fraud across the government.
