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HR 7161 97th Congress House

Public Assistance Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act of 1982

Official title: A bill to require States to match their public assistance rolls on a regular basis against all relevant State and Federal records, in order to verify the eligi… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to require States to match their public assistance rolls on a regular basis against all relevant State and Federal records, in order to verify the eligibility of recipients and otherwise eliminate or prevent fraud and abuse in the various federally-assisted public assistance programs to which such rolls relate.

Introduced: October 1, 1982 See on congress.gov
Social Welfare Aid to dependent childrenCivil Rights and LibertiesFederal-state relationsFraud
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Government paperworkGovernment records, documents, and informationIntergovernmental relationsLabor and EmploymentMedicaidPublic Welfare and CharitiesPublic assistance programsPublic recordsRight of privacyStatesUnemployment insurance
This bill died when the 97th Congress ended
It never became law before the 97th Congress (1981–1982) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 1, 1982
Referred to Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations and Human Resources.
Oct 1, 1982
Executive Comment Requested from OMB, ACIR, HHS, USDA, Labor.
Sep 22, 1982
Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
Sep 22, 1982
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 1, 1982

Referred to Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations and Human Resources.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Public Assistance Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act of 1982 - Establishes as a condition of eligibility for Federal payments under public assistance programs the requirements that each State: (1) match its public assistance rolls against all relevant State and Federal records at least once each calendar quarter to verify the income, assets, and status of program participants in determining their eligibility for assistance; (2) remove ineligible individuals and otherwise eliminate fraud and abuse under such programs; and (3) require each State and local official or agency with jurisdiction over relevant State or Federal records to provide such records upon request for matching purposes. Directs each State to compile reports on such matching process for each or several programs and to make such reports available to the agencies with program jurisdiction.

Directs Federal agencies and officials to provide relevant records to States upon request.

Requires Office of Management and Budget guidelines for matching activities to assure the maximum possible protection of the privacy of individuals involved. Provides that each applicant for, or recipient of, assistance under a public assistance program (including the Medicaid and Aid to Dependent Children programs under the Social Security Act and State unemployment insurance programs) shall be deemed to have consented to the procedures established by this Act.

Incorporates the provisions of this Act into any State or Federal law concerned with the administration of a public assistance program.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 7161: Public Assistance Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act of 1982. 97th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-7161/
MLA
"H.R. 7161: Public Assistance Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act of 1982." 97th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-7161/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 7161, 97th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-7161/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 7161: Public Assistance Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act of 1982](https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-7161/)
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