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She did not arrive at that throne on a wave of adoration, but through years of surviving headlines that painted her as a usurper, a homewrecker, a living reminder of a wound the public refused to let heal. Yet time, and her own refusal to flinch, altered the script. She chose invisibility when it was easier to provoke, service when she could have sought sympathy, and quiet, consistent presence instead of grand gestures.
The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation this week aimed at strengthening safeguards against improper and fraudulent federal payments, approving the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act by a 218-200 vote. The measure, introduced by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), seeks to reform the longstanding “pay and chase” system in which agencies issue payments before verifying eligibility, often resulting in costly and incomplete recovery efforts. Under the bill, federal agencies would gain authority to pause, condition, or segment suspicious payments when data indicates elevated risk of fraud or error. The U.S. Treasury Department would also be empowered to return flagged requests for additional review using tools such as the Do Not Pay database.
“Congress must take further action to stop fraud before it happens,” Chairman Comer said on the House floor. “The Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act adds critical safeguards to ensure federal payments go to the right recipient in the right amount before funds are awarded or disbursed.”
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