Republican-led panel targets COVID relief dollars for review

By KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 1,000 people have pleaded guilty or have been convicted of federal charges of defrauding the myriad COVID-19 relief programs that Congress established in the early days of the pandemic. And more than 600 other people and entities face federal fraud charges. But investigators scheduled to testify Wednesday to a congressional committee say that’s just the start. House Republicans say the hearing marks the beginning of what they promise will be aggressive oversight of President Joe Biden’s administration. Congress approved about $4.6 trillion in spending from six coronavirus relief laws, beginning in March 2020 when Donald Trump was president.