H.R. 2978 · 119th Congress · Crime and Law Enforcement
GUARD Act
Allows law enforcement grant funds to investigate financial fraud, elder fraud, and pig butchering schemes. AI-read
What it does
This bill allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees that receive funds from certain law enforcement grant programs to use the funds to investigate general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, and pig butchering. Pig butchering refers to a confidence and investment fraud in which a victim is gradually lured into transferring increasing amounts of money, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, into a fake virtual investment.
The bill allows federal law enforcement agencies to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology tools.
Finally, the bill requires the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report on efforts to combat general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams, including an evaluation of any legislative recommendations to improve the efforts. The bill also requires FinCEN to report on the state of general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams in the United States, including trends in the crimes.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Jun 24, 2026 (Reported to House). CRS summarizes bills impartially; it does not take positions.
Roll call votes
| Date | Question | Party split (yea) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2026 House roll 661 |
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as AmendedGUARD Act | D 210–0 · R 203–7 · I 1–0 |
Passed 414–7 |
What members said about it
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Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) delivered bipartisan wins for New Hampshire last week in a slate of bipartisan bills that passed the U.S. House.
“Every Granite Stater deserves access to safe, reliable drinking water.”
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Four bipartisan pieces of legislation that Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) cosponsored passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Strengthening public safety and giving law enforcement the tools they need are among my highest priorities in Congress.”
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Guthrie-Cosponsored Bill to Protect American Seniors from Fraud Passes House
This week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2978, the Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act, by a vote of 414 to 7, to provide state and local law enforcement agencies access to additional funding to protect…
“I am glad to see this commonsense legislation advance out of the House of Representatives to protect seniors from fraud with wide bipartisan support.”
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Today, Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan GUARD Act (Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act, H.R. 2978) legislation that U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) co-led to…
“Every day, scammers are targeting our seniors — draining the hard-earned savings they spent a lifetime building, often with a single phone call or a fake investment scheme.”
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Rep. Derek Schmidt Joins Effort to Crack Down on EBT Fraud
Congressman Derek Schmidt (KS-02) announced that he is cosponsoring the SKIM Act, legislation to crack down on rampant EBT card and identity fraud and protect government benefits from criminals.
“Americans who receive government benefits shouldn’t have to worry about criminals stealing the help they rely on, and taxpayers need to know their hard-earned tax dollars are not being stolen from government programs.”
Latest action
Sep 16, 2026 · Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 627.