Nunn Bill to Protect Iowa Retirees from Scams Passes House
Subscribe For Newsletter Updates! M About Blog News Priorities Issues Sponsored Legislation SHARE YOUR OPINION: 2025 Farm Bill SHARE YOUR OPINION: What are your priorities? 21 County Tours Serving You Get help with a Federal Agency Service Academy Nominations Visit DC Grant Program Application Internships Commendations and Greetings Congressional App Challenge Purchase a Flag Help for Veterans Mobile Office Hours Iowa Medal of Merit Contact Email Zach Get E-Mail Updates Office Locations Website Problem Follow Follow Follow Follow Sep 15, 2026 | News , Press Releases Nunn Bill to Protect Iowa Retirees from Scams Passes House WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives today passed bipartisan legislation led by Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) to give state and local law enforcement the tools to investigate financial fraud and “pig butchering” scams targeting older Americans. The Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act , co-led by Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) and Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), passed the House 414-7. Rep. Nunn spoke on the House floor in support of the GUARD Act . Watch the remarks here or by clicking below: “Iowa retirees spent a lifetime building their savings, and scammers are using increasingly sophisticated technology to steal it out from under them,” said Rep. Nunn . “The GUARD Act came directly from an Iowa sheriff’s deputy who told me officers were watching criminals steal the life savings of hardworking Iowans but lacked the tools to track them down and recover the money. Today, the House voted to give state and local law enforcement the resources they need to pursue fraudsters, recover stolen funds, and deliver justice for victims. I urge the Senate to take it up without delay and get these protections to the Iowans who need them.” “Every day, scammers are targeting our seniors — draining the hard-earned savings they spent a lifetime building, often with a single phone call or a fake investment scheme,” said Rep. Gottheimer . “These criminals don’t play it straight, and too often they hide behind overseas networks that make them nearly impossible to track. The GUARD Act gives our cops and investigators the tools and the resources to hunt these fraudsters down, claw back stolen money, and protect the people who built this country. Protecting our parents and grandparents is just common sense, and I’m proud this bipartisan bill is one step closer to becoming law.” “As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics used by criminals to defraud hardworking Americans. The House passage of the GUARD Act is an important step toward giving state and local law enforcement the tools they need to combat financial fraud and protect victims,” said Rep. Fitzgerald . “By harnessing innovative technologies like blockchain, we can stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated scams and better protect Wisconsin seniors and families. I’m proud to co-lead this effort, and I urge my Senate colleagues to take up the GUARD Act and pass it swiftly.” According to the FBI, Iowans lost $96 million to fraud in 2025, an increase of more than 85 percent from the previous year. Scammers are using social media, email, text messages, and phone calls to lure retirees into fake investment schemes and clean out their accounts. The bipartisan GUARD Act meets that threat by giving the investigators who handle these cases the resources to keep up. The bill would allow state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to use eligible federal grant funding to investigate financial fraud. It would also clarify that federal law enforcement can help those officers use blockchain tracing tools to follow stolen money and recover it. Law enforcement, senior advocates, and consumer groups welcomed the bill’s passage. “Financial fraud is a growing threat to Iowans, and criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the ways they target consumers, particularly older Americans. Iowa’s credit unions play an important role in identifying and preventing fraud and protecting their members from financial harm,” said Murray Williams, President and CEO, Iowa Credit Union League . “The GUARD Act strengthens that effort by giving state and local law enforcement additional resources to investigate financial crimes and hold those responsible accountable. We appreciate Congressman Nunn’s leadership on this issue and his commitment to protecting Iowa families and communities from financial fraud.” “Elder fraud and financial scams are robbing older Americans of their life savings at an alarming rate, and the 4,200 credit unions across the country see that firsthand,” said Kathleen Coulombe, Chief Advocacy Officer, America’s Credit Unions . “America’s Credit Unions strongly supports the GUARD Act and measures like it, which take concrete steps to defend seniors and preserve the savings they spent a lifetime earning. By directing real investigative resources to local law enforcement and providing advanced tools to tr
99a67c1e-6c55-42d3-ba79-8ea45759519eIssued within 24 hours
Other senators' releases published in the day before or after this one.