HR 826: COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2026

HR 826 in plain English: This bill requires the Small Business Administration's Office of Inspector General to submit quarterly reports to Congress on fraud cases related to COVID-19 loan programs, such as the Paycheck Protection Program. The reports must detail the number and total dollar amount of loans involved, new fraud cases, resolved cases, and types of fraud. The reporting requirement ends two years after the bill becomes law.

Stated purpose

This bill requires the Small Business Administration's Inspector General to submit quarterly reports to Congress on fraud involving COVID-19 loans, such as Paycheck Protection Program loans, for a period of two years.

Key points

• Requires quarterly fraud reports from the SBA Inspector General to Congress on COVID-19 loans
• Reports must include number and total dollar amount of loans tied to fraud cases
• Reports must cover new fraud cases, resolved cases, and types of fraud
• Reporting requirements expire two years after enactment

Arguments supporters make

• Billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief loans were vulnerable to fraud, and regular public reporting helps Congress and the public hold the government accountable for recovering those funds.
• Quarterly updates give lawmakers current data to decide whether more resources or legal tools are needed to address ongoing fraud cases.
• The bill costs nothing in new appropriations, making it a low-cost way to improve government transparency.

Arguments opponents make

• The SBA Inspector General may already report on fraud through existing oversight channels, making this additional reporting requirement redundant and a burden on staff.
• Publicly reporting detailed fraud case counts and types every quarter could tip off individuals under investigation, potentially complicating active cases.
• A two-year window may be too short or too long depending on how many cases remain open, and the automatic termination could cut off useful oversight before the work is done.

Tradeoffs

Increased public transparency about COVID-19 loan fraud may help Congress act faster, but it places a recurring reporting workload on the Inspector General's office and could affect the handling of active investigations.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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