FRAUD GETS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL: A group of 14 GOP senators led by Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa have pooled into one big proposal 17 anti-fraud bills they had previously separately proposed. The result, as I report today for The Washington Stand, is The Protecting American Taxpayers Act.

The bill addresses controlling and ending fraud in federal spending from multiple angles, including one introduced by Sen. Gary Peters, the Michigan Democrat, to strengthen legal protections for whistle blowers who come forward with information to expose fraudsters.