Washington, DC – Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Geoff Davis (R-KY) issued the following statement today at the conclusion of today’s hearing examining a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the duplication in welfare and related programs:

“Today’s hearing reviewed the scope of duplication in our nation’s key welfare programs.  For example, GAO reported that the federal government spends $18 billion on 47 different education and training programs in nine different federal agencies each year.  Of these programs, GAO found that only one in 10 had even been evaluated for effectiveness in the last seven years.  Meanwhile we also operate nearly 20 income support, child care, and child welfare programs just within the bounds of the Committee on Ways and Means.  That sort of duplication misuses taxpayer money, and worst of all keeps assistance from efficiently reaching those who need it.  The take away from today’s hearing is there are much-needed improvements to be made to better serve families in need as well as taxpayers who support these programs with their hard-earned tax dollars.”

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