Bill · H.R. 8951· House(119-HR-8951)
Zero Tolerance for Fraudsters Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 5/21/2026
- Last activity
- 5/21/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Ken Calvert
- Cosponsors
- - 3 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Zero Tolerance for Fraudsters Act of 2026. It sets mandatory minimum prison sentences for specific fraud and false statement offenses. The punishment depends on the total money involved in the crime. If the offense involves an amount between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000, the bill requires a prison sentence of not less than one year. If the offense involves $5,000,000 or more, it requires a prison sentence of not less than five years. The legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Mr. Calvert, alongside Mr. Owens and Mr. Hunt.
Yes
Does this give the federal government more power?+3
The bill expands federal criminal penalties by establishing mandatory minimum sentences for federal fraud offenses.
The opposite
Does this shorten or soften prison sentences?-5
The bill establishes strict mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain fraud offenses, limiting judicial discretion.
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?-4
Imposing mandatory minimum sentences restricts judicial flexibility and due process considerations in sentencing.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) establish mandatory prison time for certain fraud offenses involving $1,000,000 or more. This ensures that individuals who commit large-scale fraud face guaranteed prison sentences of at least one to five years, holding them accountable to the public.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) set strict mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment for certain fraud offenses. This limits judicial flexibility by forcing judges to hand down minimum prison sentences of one or five years based solely on the dollar amount involved, without room to consider other circumstances.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Criminal Sentencing Reform-5
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+3Improves Due Process-4
- 6/2/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/21/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Wesley HuntRepublican · Texas
Jay ObernolteRepublican · California
Burgess OwensRepublican · Utah