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Work & Welfare

The jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare shall include bills and matters referred to the Committee on Ways and Means that relate to the public assistance provisions of the Social Security Act, including temporary assistance for needy families, child care, child and family services, child support, foster care, adoption, supplemental security income, social services, eligibility of welfare recipients for food stamps, and low-income energy assistance. More specifically, the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare shall include bills and matters relating to titles I, IV, VI, X, XIV, XVI, XVII, XX and related provisions of titles VII and XI of the Social Security Act.

The jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare shall also include bills and matters referred to the Committee on Ways and Means that relate to the Federal-State system of unemployment compensation, and the financing thereof, including the programs for extended and emergency benefits.  More specifically, the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare shall also include all bills and matters pertaining to the programs of unemployment compensation under titles III, IX and XII of the Social Security Act, Chapters 23 and 23A of the Internal Revenue Code, and the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, and provisions relating thereto.

What We are Working On

The Dignity of Work

Hearings: 

April 9, 2024: Chicago, IL Field Hearing on “the Dignity of Work: Lifting Individuals Out of Poverty”

Unemployment Insurance

Legislation:

H.R. 5861 – BRIDGE for Workers Act

H.R. 1163 – Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

Hearings: 

June 4, 2024: Hearing on “Reforming Unemployment Insurance to Support American Workers and Businesses”

February 8, 2023: Hearing on “The Greatest Theft of Taxpayer Dollars: Unchecked Unemployment Fraud”


Related Links:
Steel, Ways and Means Chair Smith Question DOL Forgiving California’s UI Fraud Debt

May 16, 2024

Watchdog Finds Self Certification Contributed to Nearly $50 Billion in Improper Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Payments

August 7, 2024

Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Estimates Double to $100-$135 Billion: Smith and Crapo Call for Action

September 12, 2023

Smith, Crapo Seek Basic Information on Labor Department’s Fund to Combat Unemployment Insurance Fraud

July 20, 2023

Chairman Smith Applauds Bipartisan Passage of the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

May 11, 2023

Chairman Smith on the House Floor: H.R. 1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

May 11, 2023

What They Are Saying: Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

May 11, 2023

Ways and Means Chair Smith, Education and the Workforce Chair Foxx, Speaker McCarthy, and Republican Members of the California Delegation Call on President Biden to Abandon Nomination of Julie Su as Labor Secretary

April 6, 2023

Smith, Crapo Seek Basic Information on Labor Department’s Fund to Combat Unemployment Insurance Fraud

July 20, 2023

Ways and Means Approves Plan to Recover Hundreds of Billions in Misspent, Stolen Unemployment Benefits

March 1, 2023

Chairman Smith Calls for Long Overdue Investigation into COVID Unemployment Fraud

January 23, 2023

Ways and Means Republicans Seek Answers on Hundreds of Billions in Fraudulent Unemployment Benefits

February 08, 2023

Chairman Smith Invites DOJ “Chief Pandemic Prosecutor” to Testify on Greatest Theft of Taxpayer Dollars in American History

February 01, 2023

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Legislation:

H.R. 2811 (Division C Title 1) – Limit, Save, Grow Act

  • CLICK HERE for bill text
  • CLICK HERE for the 1-pager on “Restoring Work Requirements in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)”

H.R. 3746 (Division C Title 1) – Fiscal Responsibility Act

H.R. 6918 – Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act

Hearings:

September 24, 2024: Hearing on “Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States’ Misuse of Welfare Dollars Leaves Poor Families Behind”

March 29, 2023: Hearing on “Welfare is Broken: Restoring Work Requirements to Lift Americans Out of Poverty”

 July 12, 2023: Hearing on “Where is all the Welfare Money Going? Reclaiming TANF Non-Assistance Dollars to Lift Americans Out of Poverty”

Related Links:

Ways and Means Members Lead Charge to Fix America’s Broken Welfare System, Make Critical Reforms to Help Americans in Need and Protect Taxpayers March 7, 2024

House Blocks Biden Administrations From Restricting Support for Pregnant Women January 19, 2024

Chairmen Smith, LaHood Demand Biden Administration Withdraw Rule That Sidesteps Congress and Weakens Recent Bipartisan Welfare Reforms November 28, 2023

Smith, LaHood Call on Government Watchdog to Investigate Uses of TANF Funds September 25, 2023

Ways and Means Republicans Demand Answers on Welfare Fraud in Mississippi Scandal Involving Millions in Misspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Funds June 16, 2023

House Passes Fiscal Responsibility Act Capping Wasteful Washington Spending and Holding Biden Admin Accountable May 31, 2023

House Republicans Pass Limit, Save, Grow Act to Rein in Wasteful Spending and Grow the Economy April 26, 2023

Child Welfare

Legislation:

H.R. 9076 – Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act

H.R. 2426 – Find and Protect Foster Youth Act

H.R. 3058 – Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2023

H.R. 8813 – Preventing Child Welfare Entry Caused by Poverty Act

Hearings:

June 26, 2024: Hearing on “Strengthening Child Welfare and Protecting America’s Children”

January 17, 2024: Hearing on “Pathways to Independence: Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care”

September 28, 2023: Hearing on “Modernizing Child Welfare to Protect Vulnerable Children”

Related Links:

Bipartisan Ways and Means Members Introduce Legislation to Modernize Child Welfare Program, July 2, 2024

Chairman Smith, LaHood Call for HHS Watchdog to Investigate Border Crisis Harming U.S. Foster Care System March 5, 2024

House Passes Bipartisan Foster Care, Personal Privacy, and Trade Enforcement Legislation January 18, 2024

Ways and Means Advance Tax, Trade, and Foster Care Legislation December 1, 2023

Ways & Means Republicans Call on HHS to Halt Rulemaking that Violates Religious Freedom Protections and Exacerbates Nationwide Foster Home Shortage November 30, 2023

LaHood: New Data Crucial to Supporting Kinship Provider Care for Vulnerable Children March 13, 2023

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Hearings:

March 21, 2024: Hearing with Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley

Related Links:

Committee Leaders Blast Biden-Harris Administration’s Social Security Rulemaking Costing Taxpayers Nearly $40 Billion
October 24, 2024

Smith, Ferguson, LaHood Call on Social Security Administration to Comply with Law, Implement Improper Payment Protections
July 28, 2023

Measuring Poverty

Hearings:

October 24, 2023: Hearing on “Measuring Poverty: How the Biden Administration Plans to Redraw the Poverty Line and Rob Resources from Rural America”

Child Support Enforcement

Legislation:

H.R. 7906 – Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act

Hearings:

November 29, 2023: Joint Work & Welfare and Oversight Subcommittee Hearing on “Strengthening the Child Support Enforcement Program for States and Tribes”

Related Links:

Ways and Means Advances Bipartisan Legislation to Support Children and Families
July 24 2024

Ways and Means Members Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Child Support Enforcement for States and Tribes
April 11, 2024