Sen. Hawley Proposes Bill to Halt Bureaucrats from Receiving Cash Prizes

Sen. Josh Hawley, Republican from Missouri, announced legislation to prevent federal employees from receiving cash awards. This action comes one day after discussing Dr. Anthony Fauci’s financial gains during a Senate hearing.

Hawley criticized Fauci for exploiting legal loopholes to obtain over $1 million while serving as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The proposed bill, named the No Cash Prizes for Bureaucrats Act, aims to close these loopholes and restrict federal workers from accepting or seeking such rewards.

No federal bureaucrat should accept cash prizes while on the job. That’s why I’m introducing legislation to bar federal employees from accepting cash prizes or soliciting awards. Fauci got rich while millions of people died. It can never happen again,

Hawley mentioned records indicating that Fauci solicited at least eight such awards, one being a $900,000 check. The new bill would stop federal staff from receiving rewards related to medicine and research. It also seeks to enforce existing rules against NIH officials using official duty time for soliciting awards.

During a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Hawley scrutinized Fauci’s conduct, prompting Fauci to invoke the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times. Hawley accused Fauci of avoiding accountability and benefiting financially during the pandemic.

You were using federal employees with taxpayer money to apply for and solicit cash prizes for you personally, cash prizes totaling over $1 million, Hawley noted, questioning Fauci’s actions amid the pandemic.

Hawley referenced internal emails from Fauci’s staff, notably one discussing a nomination for the Dan David Prize, which offered a cash prize of $900,000. According to Hawley, the email demonstrated Fauci’s attempt to strengthen his nomination using federal resources.

In his critique, Hawley indicated Fauci used governmental personnel to pursue additional awards, including those from prestigious institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academy of Medicine.

Fox News Digital journalists Stephen Sorace and Anders Hagstrom contributed to the coverage, detailing Hawley’s legislative efforts and criticism of Fauci’s past award practices.