Ashley Moody

Mr. President, Thanks · 10 wordsthank you to my good friend and colleague Senator Schmitt.Thanks Positioning · 9 wordsThe grift is real, and the grift is great.Positioning The ask · 24 wordsI rise today to urge my colleagues to pass this vital legislation to stop the rampant fraud that we are seeing around this country. Claims · 43 wordsThrough my previous work as Florida’s attorney general, certainly my colleague and his work as attorney general, we know how important it is to safeguard our citizens and the American taxpayer. I was a founding member of the new Senate Anti-fraud Task Force, ¹Positioning · 27 wordsand I know every time we uncover another case of fraudsters benefiting off our public tax dollars, it is a slap in the face to hard-working Americans.Positioning Thanks · 18 wordsWe are so grateful to this administration and Vice President Vance for stepping up and taking the lead.ThanksUnearned certainty Reasoning · 56 wordsWe know that fraud being uncovered across the Nation sets up a challenge to Congress to address our laws to make sure it is not easy to accomplish; that the criminals don’t have their work laid out for them; that they don’t keep getting away with this. Congress should be embarrassed if we don’t take action. Claims · 36 wordsI was as shocked as everyone here when reports came out that criminals in Minnesota stole an estimated $9 billion in taxpayer funds.² In addition, the administration has uncovered more than $260 billion in fraud nationwide.³ Positioning · 5 wordsAmericans should be hopping mad.Positioning Claims · 59 wordsThat is why, when the House of Representatives recently voted overwhelmingly in a bipartisan fashion to advance commonsense policies holding fraudsters accountable, I worked directly with the House sponsors to file the Senate companion the very next day.⁴ That is why my colleague and I are standing here on the floor today to try to get something done immediately. Positioning · 6 wordsWe have to stop the bleeding.PositioningVague promise Claims · 20 wordsThe National Fraud Enforcement Division Act of 2026 would institute a permanent force for taxpayers within the Department of Justice.⁵ Thanks · 29 wordsTo Senator Schmitt, to the House sponsors, and every other Member of this noble institution that has vowed to clean up this mess and actually do something, thank you.Thanks Procedure · 9 wordsIt couldn’t come at a more important time. However, ProcedureClaims · 50 wordswhile I stand here and talk about the importance of this issue, the common sense of this issue, and the support of the American people for this issue, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle block every effort we have made to address rampant fraud in this country.Logical leap Reasoning · 22 wordsWe were sent here to be stewards of taxpayer dollars, to ensure we are spending the finite resources of this country responsibly. Claims · 37 wordsAnd yet every significant attempt taken by this body, by the government, by me, by a colleague, by Senator Schmitt, by anyone on the Republican side of the aisle to do something, it gets blocked or stalled. Reasoning · 18 wordsDismantling the fraud economy and going after those who defraud the American taxpayer should be a 100-to-0 issue. Claims · 92 wordsWhen Senator Ernst tried to pass her antifraud legislative package-- with many of the provisions being bipartisan--earlier today, Senate Democrats blocked the bill.⁶ Just last week, I tried to pass a No Aid For Ghost Students Act in committee, making sure we weren’t outlaying money for students that didn’t even exist, ⁷and that got stalled by the Democrats. Every new idea or proposal that we put forth is panned or outright rejected, even if the idea saves taxpayer dollars for more crucial needs or would lead to refunds to the American taxpayer. Reasoning · 11 wordsIt is irresponsible to not do something. We should be embarrassed. Procedure · 6 wordsAnd think about what is happening.Procedure Claims · 53 wordsI am talking about the Dems not allowing us to push forward legislation to fix laws that are allowing this to happen. Right now, we are just trying to put forward a permanent division to enforce existing laws, and we can’t seem to get that through, even though it passed the House bipartisan.⁸ Reasoning · 15 wordsWhen we are told actions speak louder than words, I can only draw one conclusion; Positioning · 27 wordsthat certain Members or parts of this institution prioritize fraud recipients and grifting the apparatus over the fiscal health of the country or our fiscal stewardship responsibilities.PositioningLogical leap The ask · 34 wordsI hope I am wrong. I hope that we, as the Senate, as the legislators we are, will come together to support this cause and permanently enact and set up a Fraud Enforcement Division. Positioning · 5 wordsThere could be nothing simpler.Positioning Claims · 26 wordsAnd if we pass the National Fraud Enforcement Division Act today, we guarantee that more fraudsters and bad actors are held accountable for stealing taxpayer dollars. Procedure · 2 wordsI say: ProcedureThe ask · 4 wordsLet’s get this done. Procedure · 8 wordsI yield back to my colleague from Missouri.Procedure