PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 166.
Congressional Research Service
Version 25 · Reported to Senate · Nov 16, 2021
False Claims Amendments Act of 2021
This bill revises procedures under the False Claims Act (FCA), a law that rewards whistleblowers (known as relators) who bring claims on behalf of the government by allowing them to share in the recovery in cases where the government recovers funds lost to fraud.
To be recoverable under the FCA, a fraud must meet, among other conditions, standards for materiality. In determining materiality, the decision of the government to forego a refund or to pay a claim despite actual knowledge of fraud or falsity shall not be considered dispositive if other reasons exist for that decision with respect to such refund or payment.
In dismissing an action over the objections of the relator, the government must identify a valid government purpose and a rational relation between dismissal and accomplishment of the purpose. The relator must have the opportunity to show that the dismissal is fraudulent, arbitrary and capricious, or contrary to law.
The bill extends relief from retaliatory actions to former employees.
The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the FCA.
People & committees
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · R–IA
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 166.
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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