Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has convened hearings “on how Democrats, at every turn, blocked investigations into the greatest theft of taxpayer dollars in American history,” said Smith in his opening statement.

“Today’s hearing has been a long time coming. For more than two years, Republicans have been sounding the alarm about the greatest theft of taxpayer dollars in American history, the massive fraud perpetrated in the unemployment insurance program that skyrocketed with the COVID-19 pandemic. While many Americans who actually qualified for these benefits were left struggling to reclaim their benefits and their identity, upwards of tens of billions of taxpayer dollars have been stolen.”

Labor Department Inspector General Larry D. Turner testified before the Committee that the amount of fraud in the pandemic relief program has topped $191 billion, with the investigation ongoing.