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Beat Bad Bureaucrats Act

HR 886 · In committee · last action January 31, 2025

<p><strong>Beat Bad Bureaucrats Act</strong></p><p>This bill prohibits the Small Business Administration (SBA) from garnishing Social Security payments to victims of identity theft on account of certain delinquent SBA loans obtained fraudulently during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;</p><p>Specifically, the SBA may not garnish an individual’s Social Security payments related to a covered loan if (1) the individual’s name was used to fraudulently obtain the loan, and (2) the individual has reported the identity theft to the SBA. Under the bill, <em>covered loans</em> are Disaster Loans granted in response to COVID-19 between January 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021&nbsp;(e.g.,&nbsp;Economic Injury Disaster Loans) and loans granted under the Paycheck Protection Program. The prohibition on garnishment does not apply if the SBA determines that an individual is not a victim of identity theft.&nbsp;</p><p>Further, the SBA must post instructions on how to report identity theft on its public&nbsp;website and include them in the written notice provided to delinquent borrowers before garnishing their pay.&nbsp;</p>

Sponsor

Michael Rulli (R-OH)

Associated votes

No votes recorded against this bill yet — vote coverage is a work in progress.

Official summary

<p><strong>Beat Bad Bureaucrats Act</strong></p><p>This bill prohibits the Small Business Administration (SBA) from garnishing Social Security payments to victims of identity theft on account of certain delinquent SBA loans obtained fraudulently during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;</p><p>Specifically, the SBA may not garnish an individual’s Social Security payments related to a covered loan if (1) the individual’s name was used to fraudulently obtain the loan, and (2) the individual has reported the identity theft to the SBA. Under the bill, <em>covered loans</em> are Disaster Loans granted in response to COVID-19 between January 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021&nbsp;(e.g.,&nbsp;Economic Injury Disaster Loans) and loans granted under the Paycheck Protection Program. The prohibition on garnishment does not apply if the SBA determines that an individual is not a victim of identity theft.&nbsp;</p><p>Further, the SBA must post instructions on how to report identity theft on its public&nbsp;website and include them in the written notice provided to delinquent borrowers before garnishing their pay.&nbsp;</p>