As conversations around fraud in safety-net programs continue, members of the House of Representatives are seeking to advance legislation that strengthens oversight and reduces waste, fraud and abuse.
Earlier this month, concerns over widespread Medicaid, Medicare, and COVID-era unemployment fraud and its burden on taxpayers intensified amongst members of Congress. Several lawmakers warned that such activity undermines the integrity of these essential programs designed to serve Americans in need.
Now, Representative Josey Arrington (R-TX) is raising similar concerns after the House Ways and Means Committee advanced several bills to curb fraud in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which provides federal funding to states for low-income assistance. However, states are not required to report improper payment data, limiting the government’s ability to assess the scope of fraud and improper payments.
Rep. Arrington said the lack of federal oversight over these funds exposes billions of taxpayer dollars to fraud and improper payments each year.
"Washington’s abject failure to protect tax dollars has resulted in an unprecedented scale of fraud that threatens not only the sustainability of our safety net programs, but also the future economic viability of our nation,” Rep. Arrington said.
One of the bills the committee advanced was Rep. Arrington’s Eliminating Fraud and Improper Payments in TANF Act, which would require state governments to report improper TANF payment data to the Department of Health and Human Services for the first time.
“This critical legislation will provide much-needed oversight of the TANF program and ensure that the federal government is fulfilling its responsibility to safeguard American tax dollars,” he said.
Committee Chairman and Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) said legislation like this that “cracks down on hotbeds of fraud and mismanagement " is what will be most effective.
“Our commonsense bills fight for American taxpayers and ensure assistance is not being taken from those who truly need it most,” Rep. Smith said.
He added that Americans are shocked at the fraud happening across the country, and rightfully so.
“Fraud disrespects American taxpayers while stealing benefits from deserving Americans like seniors, needy families and the unemployed,” Rep. Smith said.
