NW Tennessee News

The House of Representatives has unanimously approved H.R. 1155, the Recovery of Stolen Checks Act, which aims to assist victims of mail theft. Introduced by Representatives David Kustoff (R-TN), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and Terri Sewell (D-AL), the bipartisan legislation proposes offering electronic payments via the Department of Treasury as an alternative to physical checks.

During the debate, Congressman Kustoff expressed gratitude for the efforts of Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and co-sponsors Malliotakis and Sewell. Kustoff highlighted the alarming rise in mail theft, referencing an 87% increase in the theft of government checks between 2019 and 2022, as reported by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network also noted a doubling in check fraud reports from 2021 to 2022 and recorded 15,417 instances of mail theft-related check fraud from February to August 2023.

Kustoff emphasized the need for federal law enforcement to have the necessary resources to combat mail theft and stressed the bill's importance for providing timely relief to victims. "Right now, it can take up to four months for the IRS to issue a replacement for a stolen check. That’s a long time," he noted, pointing out that replacement checks are often stolen due to the high rate of mail theft.

He criticized current IRS procedures for exacerbating fraud and causing difficulties for taxpayers, while potentially causing financial strain for American families. The Recovery of Stolen Checks Act seeks to accelerate relief through direct deposit, deterring theft and improving government efficiency.

The bill previously passed out of the House Committee on Ways and Means unanimously on February 12, 2025. Kustoff concluded by urging continued support for the legislation. "This is a simple fix that will help expedite relief to affected taxpayers, keep government checks out of the hands of criminals, and ultimately make our government more efficient."