NW Tennessee News

Reps. David Kustoff, Nicole Malliotakis, and Terri Sewell have introduced the Recovery of Stolen Checks Act in the House of Representatives. The proposed bipartisan legislation aims to address issues faced by taxpayers when paper checks from the U.S. Department of the Treasury are lost or stolen in transit.

Congressman Kustoff highlighted the widespread problem affecting both West Tennessee and other parts of the country. He stated, "Paper checks getting lost or stolen in the mail is a major problem in West Tennessee and across the nation." He emphasized that this bill would offer Americans an option to receive payments through direct deposit rather than risking another check being sent through mail.

Congresswoman Malliotakis echoed these concerns, mentioning how missing or stolen checks impact her constituents' livelihoods. She expressed gratitude towards the Ways and Means Committee for addressing this issue: "I am thankful to the Ways and Means Committee for allowing me to highlight this important issue and introduce legislation to rectify it so we can protect taxpayer dollars from being repeatedly stolen."

Congresswoman Sewell also shared experiences from her district, noting that outdated IRS policies have hindered some constituents from receiving their tax returns. "That’s why I’m pleased to introduce bipartisan legislation that allows my constituents to receive their returns via direct deposit if the return was lost or stolen at their address," she said.

The bill offers a solution by enabling electronic payment options for reissued payments, which proponents believe will safeguard taxpayer funds from criminal activities.