Zeroing Out Monetary Benefits Improperly Expended Act or the ZOMBIE Act This bill focuses requirements governing the assessment, tracking, and reporting of improper payments made by federal agencies on improper payments that result in financial loss to the government. The bill defines financial loss to the government as any payment (or part of a payment) in excess of the correct amount that results in a financial loss to the government, but excludes any payment (or part of a payment) that is made to the correct recipient for the correct amount but fails to meet administrative procedures (other than those required to verify the validity of the payment). The bill requires agencies to assess programs and activities every three years for the risk of improper payments resulting in financial loss to the government. The bill also generally modifies other reporting requirements to focus on such improper payments, including by expanding reporting requirements to include information about actions taken by agencies to prevent such payments (e.g., use of the Do Not Pay system) and to implement certain best practices. The bill also requires an estimate of such improper payments in agencies’ annual budget justification, requires the Department of the Treasury to develop risk assessment guidance, and allows up to 75% of funds that are recovered through audits to be directed back to the original program or activity (currently, up to 25% of such funds may be directed back to the original program or activity).

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SubjectsAccounting and auditingCongressional oversightFraud offenses and financial crimesGovernment information and archives

XML scalars

congress: 119
type: HR
number: 8467
originChamber: House
originChamberCode: H
introducedDate: 2026-04-23
updateDate: 2026-09-19T23:28:42Z
updateDateIncludingText: 2026-09-19T23:28:42Z
title: ZOMBIE Act
legislationUrl: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8467

Constitutional authority statement (CDATA)

[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 72 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. PALMER:H.R. 8467.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1 Section 8[Page H3092]

Pipeline

Track

federal_terminal

Stage

Final Outcome

Stage rank

Sponsor

Rep. Palmer, Gary J. [R-AL-6] · [R-AL-6] · P000609
Rep-AL-6 current · 6 terms · @USRepGaryPalmer · 1 district office

Sponsor record (congress_legislators)

Bio (legislators)

bioguide

P000609

status

current

official_full

Gary J. Palmer

first

Gary

middle

last

Palmer

suffix

null

nickname

null

birthday

1954-05-14

gender

Current term (6 total)

type

rep

state

district

class

null

party

Republican

caucus

null

start

2025-01-03

end

2027-01-03

end_type

null

how

null

url

https://palmer.house.gov

address

170 Cannon House Office Building Washington DC 20515-0106

office

170 Cannon House Office Building

phone

202-225-4921

fax

null

contact_form

null

rss_url

null

Leadership roles (3)

House Republican Policy Committee Chair · house · 2019-01-03 – 2021-01-03
House Republican Policy Committee Chair · house · 2021-01-03 – 2023-01-03
House Republican Policy Committee Chair · house · 2021-01-03 – 2025-01-03

Committee memberships (7)

Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs (house) · house · rank 2
Energy (house) · house · rank 3
Environment (house) · house · Chair · rank 1
Government Operations (house) · house · rank 3
House Committee on Energy and Commerce (house) · house · rank 7 · site
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (house) · house · rank 8 · site
Oversight and Investigations (house) · house · rank 3

Social media

Twitter: @USRepGaryPalmer
Facebook: @CongressmanGaryPalmer
Instagram: @repgarypalmer

District offices (1)

3535 Grandview Pkwy., Suite 525, Birmingham, AL, 35243 · 205-968-1290 · fax 205-968-1294 · 33.4391291,-86.7225137

Other names (0)

none

Sponsor FEC record (fec_live)

Candidate record (candidates) · cycle 2026

candidate_id

H4AL06098

cycle

2026

name

PALMER, GARY

party

REPUBLICAN PARTY

office

House

state

district

incumbent_challenge

Incumbent

candidate_status

active_through

2026

election_year

null

first_file_date

2013-10-29

last_file_date

2024-11-13

last_f2_date

2024-11-13

address

null

Candidate summary (candidate_summaries) · cycle 2026

cycle

2026

total_receipts

$1,053,565.57

total_disbursements

$946,083.49

cash_on_hand_end_period

$260,721.40

debts_owed_by_committee

$0.00

coverage_start_date

2025-01-01

coverage_end_date

2026-07-22

Connected committees (0)

none

Cosponsors (0)

none

Committees (1)

Oversight and Government Reform Committee [House Standing]
2026-04-29T13:07:47ZMarkup By
2026-04-23T13:02:05ZReferred To

Actions — from XML (14)

2026-06-11IntroReferralvia Senate
Received in the Senate.
2026-06-10 16:34:58FloorH38310via House floor actions
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2026-06-10 16:34:55FloorH37300via House floor actions
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
2026-06-10 16:34:55Floor8000via Library of Congress
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
2026-06-10 16:33:49FloorH30000via House floor actions
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4079)
2026-06-08 14:56:12FloorH37210via House floor actions
At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Gill (TX) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.
2026-06-08 14:49:59FloorH8D000via House floor actions
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8467.
2026-06-08 14:49:58FloorH30000via House floor actions
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3925-3928; text: CR H3925-3928)
2026-06-08 14:49:42FloorH30300via House floor actions
Mr. Gill (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2026-04-29Committeevia House committee actions
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 40 - 0.
2026-04-29Committeevia House committee actions
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
2026-04-23IntroReferralH11100via House floor actions
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
2026-04-23IntroReferralIntro-Hvia Library of Congress
Introduced in House
2026-04-23IntroReferral1000via Library of Congress
Introduced in House

Actions — from bill_actions table (0)

none

Titles

Display Title2026-09-19T23:28:42Z
ZOMBIE Act
Official Title as IntroducedIH2026-09-19T23:21:41Z
To reform the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 to ensure executive agencies focus on fraud prevention, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Passed HouseEHH2026-06-12T05:23:26Z
ZOMBIE Act
Short Title(s) as Passed HouseEHH2026-06-12T05:23:26Z
Zeroing Out Monetary Benefits Improperly Expended Act
Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill textEHH2026-06-12T05:23:26Z
To reform the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 to ensure executive agencies focus on fraud prevention, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as IntroducedIH2026-04-24T08:23:24Z
ZOMBIE Act
Short Title(s) as IntroducedIH2026-04-24T08:23:24Z
Zeroing Out Monetary Benefits Improperly Expended Act

Text versions (from XML)

Engrossed in House2026-06-10T04:00:00Z
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr8467eh/xml/BILLS-119hr8467eh.xml
Introduced in House2026-04-23T04:00:00Z
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr8467ih/xml/BILLS-119hr8467ih.xml

Versions — from bill_versions table (0)

none

Policy area

Government Operations and Politics

Summaries

00 · 2026-04-23 · Introduced in House

Zeroing Out Monetary Benefits Improperly Expended Act or the ZOMBIE Act

This bill focuses requirements governing the assessment, tracking, and reporting of improper payments made by federal agencies on improper payments that result in financial loss to the government.

The bill defines financial loss to the government as any payment (or part of a payment) in excess of the correct amount that results in a financial loss to the government, but excludes any payment (or part of a payment) that is made to the correct recipient for the correct amount but fails to meet administrative procedures (other than those required to verify the validity of the payment).

The bill requires agencies to assess programs and activities every three years for the risk of improper payments resulting in financial loss to the government. The bill also generally modifies other reporting requirements to focus on such improper payments, including by expanding reporting requirements to include information about actions taken by agencies to prevent such payments (e.g., use of the Do Not Pay system) and to implement certain best practices.

The bill also

requires an estimate of such improper payments in agencies’ annual budget justification,
requires the Department of the Treasury to develop risk assessment guidance, and
allows up to 75% of funds that are recovered through audits to be directed back to the original program or activity (currently, up to 25% of such funds may be directed back to the original program or activity).

Related bills

none

Amendments (0)

none

Laws

none

Committee reports

none

Calendar number

null

CBO cost estimates

none

Latest action

Date

2026-06-11

Text

Received in the Senate.

Time

null

Dublin Core

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text/xml

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rights

Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

contributor

Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress

description

This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.

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119

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8467

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ZOMBIE Act

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ZOMBIE Act

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P000609

sponsor_name

Rep. Palmer, Gary J. [R-AL-6]

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2026-04-23

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2026-06-11

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Received in the Senate.

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Government Operations and Politics

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