The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) has had its sunset date extended to 2034 and received $88 million for continued operations. Established in 2020 to oversee pandemic spending, the committee aims to leverage data analytics to prevent fraud in future funding distributions. During the pandemic, rapid fund distribution limited its capabilities; however, with the new funding, the PRAC can identify potential fraud before payments are made. The committee's executive director emphasized the importance of using lessons learned to improve fraud detection in future emergencies.
The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, or PRAC, was staring down a scheduled sunset date at the end of September, but it now has $88 million in appropriations and a new sunset date in 2034.
Congress' decision to push the sunset date of the PRAC back gives the committee the opportunity to try to leverage its data analytics capabilities to prevent money from going out the door to fraudsters in the first place.
We have a cool opportunity now to use the lessons learned, the tools, the data we have to identify anomalies before money goes out the door and say, 'Hey you may not want to pay this person,' said Ken Dieffenbach.
Had that [analytics center] been in place five years ago, think about all the [paycheck protection program and COVID-19 economic injury disaster loan] and unemployment stuff we could have flagged earlier.
#fraud-prevention #pandemic-spending #government-oversight #data-analytics #accountability-committee
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