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HR2978FEDERALin_committee

The GUARD Act (H.R. 2978)

Original title: GUARD Act

April 21, 2025

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 52 - 0.May 13, 2026

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

This bill expands the permitted uses of specific federal law enforcement grants, allowing local agencies to hire specialized staff and purchase blockchain-tracing software to combat modern financial scams.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies

These agencies gain new legal authority to use existing federal grant funds for financial fraud investigations and personnel.

Financial institutions

These entities may interact with newly designated financial sector liaisons to exchange information regarding fraud investigations.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

The GUARD Act allows state, local, and tribal police to use existing federal grant money to investigate financial crimes like elder fraud, '' scams, and general financial fraud. It also mandates federal reports on the state of these scams in the U.S. to help improve future prevention efforts.

Key Facts

  • Authorizes state, local, and tribal law enforcement to use specific federal grant funds for investigating elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and general financial fraud.
  • Permits grant funds to be used for hiring personnel, training on blockchain intelligence, and purchasing technical software for fraud investigations.
  • Requires law enforcement agencies using these funds to submit a report to the federal grant provider within one year detailing fund usage and fraud statistics.
  • Defines 'pig butchering' as a scam where victims are lured into making increasing cryptocurrency investments before the scammer disappears.
  • Defines 'elder financial fraud' as the illegal use of an elderly person's or disabled adult's resources for personal gain.
  • Mandates that the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of FinCEN submit a report to Congress on fraud and scam efforts within one year of enactment.
  • Mandates a second report to Congress on the state of scams in the U.S. within two years of enactment.
  • Requires agencies to designate a financial sector liaison to coordinate information exchange between banks and law enforcement.
  • Lists five specific federal grant programs eligible for these new uses, including the COPS Technology and Equipment Program and the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 'pig butchering'?
The bill defines it as a type of investment fraud where a victim is gradually convinced to contribute increasing amounts of money, usually in cryptocurrency, to a fake investment before the scammer steals the funds.
Does this bill provide new grant money?
No, it allows law enforcement agencies to use existing, eligible federal grant funds for new purposes related to financial fraud investigations.
What are law enforcement agencies required to do if they use these funds?
They must report back to the federal agency that provided the grant within one year, explaining how the money was spent and providing an analysis of fraud statistics in their area.

Why It Matters

This bill expands the permitted uses of specific federal law enforcement grants, allowing local agencies to hire specialized staff and purchase blockchain-tracing software to combat modern financial scams.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

60 Plus Association

2026

TAXATION/INTERNAL REVENUE CODEENVIRONMENT/SUPERFUNDCOPYRIGHT/PATENT/TRADEMARKHEALTH ISSUES

Signed a coalition letter opposing any efforts to raise the corporate tax rate above the 21% level set in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Signed a coalition in support of the Family Business Legacy Act, H.R. 6329. This legislation creates parity in the tax code between the estate and gift taxes by allowing an estate tax deduction for contributions to 501(c)(4), (c)(5), and (c)(6) organizations. Signed a coalition letter urging opposition to proposals that would raise taxes on carried interest investment income.The letter is urging Congress to reject the misnamed Carried Interest Fairness Act, legislation recently reintroduced by Senators Tammy Baldwin, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and other progressive members of Congress. This legislation that would increase the tax rate on carried interest investment by 70%, from 23.8% to 40.8%. Signed a coalition letter in support of H.R.574 - ALIGN Act and highlight the 100% bonus depreciation provision's importance as the tax cut reauthorization efforts continue. Signed a coalition to support of repealing IRA's green new deal subsidies in reconciliation to pay for tax cuts. Signed a coalition letter regarding digital services taxes (DST) in an effort to stop Canadas imposition of a discriminatory digital services tax (DST) on U.S. firms and your efforts to include restrictions on the imposition of DSTs and other unfair digital policies in recently announced trade agreements-providing a model for future trade negotiations. Signed a coalition letter urging the President to index capital gains for inflation.

VANNEVAR LABS

$350,000

SMITH ADVOCACY GROUP, LLC

on behalf of MARINE INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA

BRUNSWICK CORPORATION

$90,000

TRAJECTOR MEDICAL

HANBURY STRATEGY

on behalf of TWILIO

MCDERMOTT+ LLC

on behalf of NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ELDER LAW ATTORNEYS

Protect Democracy United (formerly known as UNITED TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY)

$70,000

2025

GOVERNMENT ISSUES

In support of the No Political Enemies Act to prevent executive punishing of individuals or organizations for constitutionally protected speech, belies, viewpoints, or political participation. In support of exploring enhanced reporting requirements to the Defense Production Act in the NDAA and tariff issuance to prevent executive abuse. In opposition to FCCs retaliatory agenda by advocating for meaningful First Amendment limits on its ability to punish news organizations for the content they air or the editorial decisions they make. In consideration of the Empowering SPEECH Act which primarily aims to protect First Amendment rights and related freedoms on college campuses In support of reforms that strengthening the independence of the Judge Advocate General Corps through reforms of notification to Congress on before their termination. In opposition to arbitrary deployments of National Guard members to American cities. In support of the Protecting Our Democracy Act to address abuses of presidential power, election security and integrity, and improving the system of checks and balances. In opposition to requiring documentary proof of citizenship through the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. In support of increasing federal election security funding. In support of maintaining the constitutional separation of powers ensuring that Congress has the power of the purse.

Protect Democracy United (formerly known as UNITED TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY)

$70,000

2025

GOVERNMENT ISSUES

In support of increasing federal election security funding. In opposition to DC Home Rule Act being used for the extended federal takeover of the DC police. In support of a resolution ending the declared emergency in D.C. In opposition to arbitrary deployments of National Guard members to American cities. In support of the No Political Enemies Act to prevent executive punishing of individuals or organization for constitutionally protected speech, belies, viewpoints, or political participation. In support of the Protecting Our Democracy Act to address abuses of presidential power, election security and integrity, and improving the system of checks and balances. In support of reforms to the National Emergencies Act to prevent executive abuse. In support of exploring enhanced reporting requirements to the Defense Production Act and tariff issuance to prevent executive abuse.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Expansion of Grant Utility

The bill explicitly shifts the focus of existing DOJ and COPS technology grants toward modern digital financial crimes like blockchain-based fraud.

Connected Entities

personMr. FitzgeraldCo-sponsor of the bill.Map →
personMr. GottheimerCo-sponsor of the bill.Map →
organizationDepartment of JusticeProvider of the eligible federal grant funds mentioned in the bill.Map →
personMr. NunnRepresentative from Iowa who introduced the bill.Map →
organizationFinancial Crimes Enforcement NetworkRequired to submit reports on fraud and scams to Congress.Map →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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