Warner, Blackburn, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Protect American Taxpayers from Stolen Tax Refund Checks

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the bipartisanRecovery of Stolen Checks Act,which would allow American taxpayers who have their paper checks from the U.S. Department of Treasury lost or stolen in the mail to receive their payment by electronic deposit:
“An outdated IRS policy is leaving Tennesseans vulnerable to having their tax refund checks repeatedly lost or stolen in the mail,”said Senator Blackburn.“When those refunds don’t arrive on time, it puts real strain on hardworking families. The Recovery of Stolen Checks Act would allow taxpayers to receive a direct deposit from the Treasury Department rather than another check a criminal could intercept.”
“With check fraud costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, it makes no sense for the federal government to keep reissuing vulnerable paper checks after they have already been stolen or gone missing,”said Senator Warner.“This bipartisan bill offers a smart, secure fix by letting taxpayers opt for direct deposit so they can get their money faster and more safely.”
TheRecovery of Stolen Checks Actis cosponsored by U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).
This legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is sponsored by Representatives David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), and Terri Sewell (D-Ala.).
BACKGROUND:
THE RECOVERY OF STOLEN CHECKS ACT
Clickherefor bill text.