Senator Hawley Introduces Bill to Prevent Federal Employees from Receiving Cash Awards

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, has proposed legislation to stop federal officials from receiving cash awards. This move follows an accusation he made against Dr. Anthony Fauci for allegedly receiving over $1 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a Senate hearing, Hawley accused Fauci of abusing federal laws that restrict government personnel from seeking cash rewards. His proposed bill, named the No Cash Prizes for Bureaucrats Act, aims to eliminate these loopholes.

“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 told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Hawley referenced public records showing that Fauci, when he was head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), reportedly sought at least eight cash awards. One award allegedly amounted to $900,000.

The legislation seeks to restrict federal employees from receiving or seeking awards in medicine and research. It also aims to reinforce current regulations that prevent National Institutes of Health officials from using work time to pursue rewards.

Hawley’s actions follow his intense questioning of Fauci at the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. During this session, Fauci reportedly invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times.

Hawley criticized Fauci for avoiding questions, suggesting Fauci became wealthy during the pandemic while using federal staff to obtain personal cash prizes.

Despite Hawley’s inquiries, Fauci declined to answer due to his Fifth Amendment rights. Hawley claimed to have seen internal emails where Fauci’s staff discussed strengthening Fauci’s nomination for the Dan David Prize, which had a $900,000 cash award.

Hawley alleged that Fauci used government personnel and resources to apply for several other awards, including those from the Partnership for Public Service and the CDC Foundation.

Reporter Anders Hagstrom from Fox News Digital contributed to this report, covering major political events and breaking news.