GUARD Act

Hozzl · 2026-07-21T17:20:32Z

Explore the details of House Bill 2978 GUARD Act currently in Congress. Get insights into its purpose, current status, sponsors, and potential impact on Crime and Law Enforcement. Stay informed on legislative developments.

7/21/2026, 5:20 PM

Summary of Bill HR 2978

H.R. 2978 of the 119th Congress, introduced on April 21, 2025, aims to authorize State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to utilize eligible Federal grant funds for investigating elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and general financial fraud. Additionally, the bill seeks to clarify that Federal law enforcement agencies can assist these local agencies in utilizing tracing tools for blockchain and related technology.

Congressional Summary of HR 2978

Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act of 2026 or the GUARD Act of 2026

This bill allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees that receive funds from certain law enforcement grant programs to use the funds to investigate general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, and pig butchering. Pig butchering refers to a confidence and investment fraud in which a victim is gradually lured into transferring increasing amounts of money, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, into a fake virtual investment.

The bill allows federal law enforcement agencies to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology tools.

Finally, the bill requires the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report on efforts to combat general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams, including an evaluation of any legislative recommendations to improve the efforts. The bill also requires FinCEN to report on the state of general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams in the United States, including trends in the crimes.

Read the Full Bill

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Current Status of Bill HR 2978

Bill HR 2978 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since April 21, 2025. Bill HR 2978 was introduced during Congress 119 and was introduced to the House on April 21, 2025. Bill HR 2978's most recent activity was Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 119-709, Part I. as of June 24, 2026

Bipartisan Support of Bill HR 2978

Total Number of Sponsors

Democrat Sponsors

Republican Sponsors

Unaffiliated Sponsors

Total Number of Cosponsors

328

Democrat Cosponsors

145

Republican Cosponsors

183

Unaffiliated Cosponsors

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill HR 2978

Primary Policy Focus

Crime and Law Enforcement

Alternate Title(s) of Bill HR 2978

To permit State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies that receive eligible Federal grant funds to use such funds for investigating elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and general financial fraud, and to clarify that Federal law enforcement agencies may assist State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology, and for other purposes.