Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Tanf Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BEAN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank our chairman for yielding.

Taking care of our most vulnerable citizens is what a civilized society does, and it is why Congress created TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. TANF is just that, temporary assistance for the most needy among us.

Like other safety net programs, Madam Speaker, we partner with the States. It is the most efficient way to deliver care.

My question for this body is, should we ever have to worry about the States using TANF dollars for any program other than TANF?

You wouldn't think we would have to worry about that at all, but, Madam Speaker, the report from the GAO, our Government Accountability Office, is in. It seems we do have to worry about States using TANF dollars for other than TANF recipients.

The report is in. They have used it for education programs and college scholarships. They have built roads and enhanced their State transportation systems. The crown gem offender, Madam Speaker, is a State, which will remain nameless today, that has built a sports stadium with TANF dollars. It is not what TANF was intended to do, nor is it the creative, cooperative partnership that was intended by working with the States. It is time Congress says: Enough.

That is why I have sponsored a bill with Claudia Tenney from the great State of New York to create TANF dollars as a general revenue targeted specifically to the neediest among us and not as a revenue slush fund for these States. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill, H.R. 8872, the Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in TANF Act, which includes many reforms, but this one right here, States, we have to trust them with the money given.

Madam Speaker, I remind everybody in this room that every TANF family is different, but the typical TANF family is a single mom. She has 2.1 kids. She is working 1.2 jobs. She drives a car that is 16 years old. The back window is taped up. Maybe there is a spare tire that she can't change because diapers elevate higher than car repairs. She is the one we need to make these reforms for.

I urge my colleagues to join me, to join everybody, in voting ``yes'' for TANF reform so that we can help the neediest among us.

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