Senator Chuck Grassley today pushed the Departments of Treasury and Justice to ensure that whistleblowers are treated seriously, their concerns are reviewed in an expeditious manner, and that any legitimate claims of fraud, waste, or abuse are aggressively investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including seeking recovery of all funds lost via the False Claims Act.

 

            “The False Claims Act is the most effective tool that the federal government has in recovering taxpayer money that would otherwise be lost to fraud,” Grassley said.  “With a special inspector general only now getting consideration before the Senate, seven weeks after legislation was signed into law, whistleblowers could be even more critical as they may offer insight to help piece together fraud that might otherwise have been pushed aside.”

 

Grassley is the author, along with Rep. Howard Berman of California, of a 1986 law to strengthen the Civil War-era False Claims Act which was originally signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. The Grassley-Berman “qui tam” amendments empowered whistleblowers to file suit on behalf of the United States against those who fraudulently claim federal funds, including Medicare, Medicaid, contract payments, disaster assistance and other benefits, subsidies, grants and loans.