The widespread fraud from Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future children’s lunch assistance program, coupled with the fraudulent health care centers exposed by Nick Shirley in December, has captured the full attention of congressional Republicans in recent weeks.
“I understand the outrage taxpayers r feeling about massive fraud in gov programs in Minnesota and other states, while honest hardworking families are struggling to buy groceries or pay for childcare,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote on X.
Since the fraud first surfaced last year, senators ranging from Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., as well as House members like Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., have unveiled efforts to identify and reform fraudulent welfare assistance programs.
These measures, as stated by Rachel Sheffield, a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, in an interview with The Daily Signal, “could help ensure that the U.S. welfare system is safeguarded against fraud,” and provide “greater federal oversight” over the programs.
“We’ve known for some time that programs defrauded in Minnesota were lacking proper scrutiny,” Sheffield added. “What happened in Minnesota unfortunately proved that in a massive way.”
‘Americans Are Being Robbed’
Angered by the Feeding Our Future scandal, Fine and Paul introduced legislation that would stop the allocation of tax dollars to noncitizens enrolled in welfare programs.
“Americans are being robbed,” Fine claimed.
Fine’s recently introduced bill, the No Welfare for Non-Citizens Act, would “prohibit aliens from receiving federal public benefits.”
Fine also noted that the bill could curb the Congressional Budget Office’s projection that $177 billion will be administered to noncitizens from 2024 to 2034.
“[Lawful noncitizens and illegal immigrants are] getting free handouts at the expense of American taxpayers,” which he called “insane” and “immoral.”
In the Senate, Paul introduced the End Welfare For Non-Citizens Act, which would “end the appropriation of taxpayer-funded benefits” by cutting off and reforming programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and other federal benefits, subsidies, or services to refugees, asylees, or immigrants present in the United States without legal status.
“Washington shouldn’t run the welfare state on autopilot while the national debt soars past $38T,” Paul wrote on X on Friday.
“If we want a sustainable safety net and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, this bill is a must-pass,” he added in a previous statement.
Fine and Paul did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.
Emergency Taskforce
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Cassidy announced on Monday that he will spearhead a task force alongside Sens. Ashley Moody, R-Fla.; Jon Husted, R-Ohio; Roger Marshall, R-Kan.; Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.; Tim Scott, R-S.C.; and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., to hold those who abuse federal assistance accountable.
The task force will comprise three subgroups, which will identify fraud in health, education, or labor and pensions assistance programs.
“Our tax dollars are supposed to help American families, not line the pockets of fraudsters,” Cassidy told Fox News Digital. “[We] are committed to rooting out this fraud and ensuring Americans’ tax dollars are used responsibly.”
The members of the task force did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.
$5.16 Billion in Refugee Assistance
On Tuesday, Paul introduced an amendment to a “minibus” funding bill that would prevent $5 billion from being administered to the existing refugee welfare system.
“Billions were ripped off from taxpayers through the refugee system. Washington’s response is to quietly send more money,” Paul wrote on X on Wednesday. “My amendment says no. Investigate the fraud, fix the abuse, then talk about funding.”
The amendment, however, failed in the Senate on Friday.