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H.R. 8951119th CongressIn committeeLatest action May 21, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Zero Tolerance for Fraudsters Act of 2026
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 8951 would require at least 1–5 years in prison for federal fraud topping $1 million, removing judges' ability to sentence below that floor.
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HR 8951 would create mandatory minimum prison sentences for large-scale federal fraud convictions. Fraud involving $1 million to $5 million would carry a minimum of one year in prison; fraud of $5 million or more would carry a minimum of five years. The bill covers mail fraud, wire fraud, healthcare fraud, and making false statements to the government.
The bill would affect anyone convicted under the covered federal fraud statutes where the dollar thresholds are met, including corporate executives, government contractors who overbill, and healthcare providers who commit billing fraud. It applies only to federal prosecutions and not to state-level fraud cases.
Judges would retain the ability to set final sentences within the bill's ranges but could no longer impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum, even when they consider circumstances to warrant a lighter punishment. Cases involving fraud below $1 million and all state-level fraud prosecutions would remain unaffected.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.