The fate of a bill amending the False Claims Act (FCA) is in Senate hands. The False Claims Clarification Act of 2009, introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) (S. 458), could fuel government’s ability to recover taxpayers’ dollars lost to fraud and abuse by increasing government accountability and extending whistleblower protection. Under the new legislation, the attorney general would be required to submit an annual report to Congress about settlements made under the FCA. This would help determine if the Department of Justice is using the act as it is intended and ensure that qui tam relators are protected from the court’s potential abuse of provisions to seal a case.

To review the legislation, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.458: Or, for more information about qui tam whistleblower law, contact Nolan and Auerbach, PA.