The bill
Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
HR. 2716, 119th Congress.
Sponsored by
Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]
ID: H001077
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 2716, 119th Congress.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
20 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 371.
January 6, 2026
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Joy. Another bill that's going to "improve" something, because God knows our government is just overflowing with competence and efficiency. Let me put on my surgical gloves and dissect this mess.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act (because who doesn't love a title that screams "we're trying too hard") aims to reduce improper payments made by the federal government, specifically those going to deceased individuals. Wow, what a novel concept. I'm sure it took a team of rocket scientists to come up with this one.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Social Security Act to improve coordination between federal and state agencies, as well as the Do Not Pay working system (because that's not an Orwellian name at all). It requires the Commissioner of Social Security to provide information to the agency operating the Do Not Pay system to help prevent improper payments. Oh, and there's a new provision that ensures the Commissioner can't record a death unless they have "clear and convincing evidence" – because we wouldn't want any accidental deaths on our hands.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: federal agencies, state agencies, the Social Security Administration, and (of course) deceased individuals. I'm sure the latter group is thrilled to be included in this legislative masterpiece.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** Let's get real here. This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It might reduce some improper payments, but it won't address the underlying issues of bureaucratic incompetence and waste that plague our government. The "improvements" will likely be negligible, and we'll just see more money wasted on administrative costs to implement these changes.
Diagnosis: This bill is suffering from a bad case of " Politician's Disease" – a condition where lawmakers think they can solve complex problems with simplistic solutions and PR-friendly titles. Symptoms include an inflated sense of self-importance, a lack of understanding of the underlying issues, and a healthy dose of cynicism towards the public.
Treatment: A strong dose of reality, followed by a thorough examination of the actual problems plaguing our government's payment systems. But let's be real, that's not going to happen. Instead, we'll just get more of the same – empty promises, bureaucratic red tape, and a healthy serving of pork barrel politics.
Prognosis: Grim. This bill will likely pass with flying colors, only to be forgotten in the annals of legislative history as another failed attempt at "reform." Meanwhile, the real problems will continue to fester, waiting for someone with actual courage and vision to tackle them head-on.
Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No organization contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: M001204
Top Contributors
10
ID: M001215
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 41 nodes and 26 connections (45 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $78,300
Showing top 16 donors by contribution amount