Monica De La Cruz

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Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I note that although H.R. 2978 has not been reported out of Judiciary Committee, which also received a referral for the bill, the Judiciary Committee supports H.R. 2978 being considered today under suspension of the rules. I thank Chairman Jordan for his committee's support. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2978, the Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act, or GUARD Act. Financial fraud is one of the fastest-growing threats facing hardworking Americans, particularly seniors and retirees who have spent decades saving for the future. Today, sophisticated scammers are using technology to target vulnerable Americans through increasingly complex schemes. The GUARD Act helps address this challenge by allowing State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to use existing Federal grant funding to investigate financial fraud. This bill also gives law enforcement greater access to modern investigative tools by allowing Federal agencies to assist State and local authorities with blockchain tracing and related technologies. These tools can help law enforcement follow the money, identify bad actors, and recover funds that have been stolen from victims. As scammers continue to develop new ways to exploit Americans, our law enforcement agencies must have the tools and information necessary to keep pace. This bipartisan bill takes a commonsense approach by strengthening coordination between Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement, while providing the resources needed to investigate and disrupt financial fraud. More importantly, the GUARD Act will help protect seniors and retirees who have worked hard their entire lives and deserve to be protected from predatory actors. I thank Representatives Nunn, Fitzgerald, and Gottheimer for their leadership on this important bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2978, and I reserve the balance of my time.