HR 428
Passed a chamber
Doubles the cash award limit, from $10,000 to $20,000, for federal employees who identify wasteful spending or improper payments that agencies then act on.
Official title: Bonuses for Cost-Cutters and Fraud Preventers Act of 2026
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
House
Introduced
15-JAN-2025
Referred
15-JAN-2025
Approved by committee
18-MAR-2026
Passed
08-JUN-2026
Senate
Received
09-JUN-2026
- Raises the maximum cash award under 5 U.S.C. 4512 from $10,000 to $20,000.
- Allows awards for employees whose identification of wasteful expenses or prevented improper payments leads to cost savings or prevented payments, not only cost savings alone.
- Requires agency heads to notify the President of qualifying wasteful expenses and the Secretary of the Treasury of prevented improper payments.
- Directs OMB, with OPM and Treasury, to issue implementing guidance within six months, and the amendments take effect one year after enactment.
Covers an older version. The newest CRS summary describes the bill as of "Introduced in House" (15-JAN-2025); the text has changed since (Engrossed in House, 08-JUN-2026).
CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.gov- Oversight and Government Reform Committee (House)
- Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Senate)
Government Operations and Politics
■ 1 R■ 1 D
1 Democrat
1 Republican