Submitted story | January 19, 2026

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WASHINGTON – In response to the massive fraud scandal uncovered in Minnesota, where an estimated $9 billion or more in taxpayer funds was siphoned off through fraudulent claims, Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), introduced the Welfare Abuse and Laundering Zillions (WALZ) Act, legislation designed to stop large-scale welfare fraud and restore accountability to government programs nationwide.

“Nearly 9 billion in taxpayer dollars vanished under Governor Tim Walz’s watch because basic oversight was ignored and accountability was nonexistent,” said Senator Marshall. “This wasn’t a paperwork error – it was large-scale fraud enabled by soft-on-crime policies and a government that failed to do its most basic job. The WALZ Act puts an end to that. It establishes real safeguards, real audits, and real consequences so bad actors can’t loot programs meant to help vulnerable Americans.”

The WALZ Act would:

·         Enhance Verification and Real-Time Audits: Implement robust verification standards and real-time financial audits on programs that disburse federal and state funds, closing loopholes exploited by fraudsters.

·         Trigger Mandatory Investigations: Unexplained spikes in claims — like those seen in Minnesota- would automatically prompt federal and state investigators to examine program accounts immediately.

·         Strengthen Accountability for State Agencies: Require clear reporting, documentation checks, and consequences for failures in oversight, eliminating the “rubber-stamped” approvals that allow fraud to flourish.

·         Protect Benefits for Legitimate Recipients: Direct resources only to verified beneficiaries and legitimate service providers, ensuring funds reach the people the programs are intended to help.

·         Establish Uniform National Safeguards: Set a national standard for transparency and anti-fraud protections that states must meet to receive federal funding.

The WALZ Act would help ensure that fraud on the scale seen in Minnesota cannot take root in Kansas or other states, preserving essential funds for education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social support.