June 2, 2026
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National Taxpayers Union, the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, urges all members to vote “YES” on H.R. 8872, the Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in TANF Act. Introduced by Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH), this legislation enhances federal oversight of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The commonsense reforms in this bill safeguard taxpayer dollars from being squandered on payment errors and strengthen the integrity of a key welfare program families across the country depend on.
Federal law going back decades has required federal agencies to estimate the amount of money lost every year to improper payments, identify the root causes of those payment errors, and outline the steps being taken to reduce them. Yet, because TANF is administered by states as a $16.5 billion federal block grant, it is not subject to the same improper payment measurement and reporting requirements as other federal programs.
Payment errors across the federal government have been a persistent problem, costing taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars every year. Most of these mistakes involve overpayments, such as payments to ineligible or deceased individuals. According to the Office of Management and Budget, in fiscal year 2023 alone, the federal government spent over $230 billion on improper payments. That’s well over $4 billion in taxpayer funds every single week.
Government watchdogs have repeatedly raised the alarm about the need to plug gaps in improper payments oversight. In line with previous recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office, H.R. 8872 grants the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the statutory authority to measure improper payments in TANF.
H.R. 8872 goes further than simply cracking down on payment errors. The legislation’s clearly defined eligibility cap at 200% of the federal poverty line addresses loopholes states can use to divert funds to unrelated initiatives. It also prevents states from using TANF as a federal slush fund by prohibiting federal dollars from supplanting their own spending. Finally, this legislation includes provisions that ensure resources are deployed efficiently by limiting the accumulation of unspent reserves.
Scandals involving fraudulent government payments and the widespread misuse of taxpayer dollars have made headlines around the country in recent months. Sensible fixes like this legislation are exactly the kind of practical, good-government reforms needed to restore the public’s trust in government.
Roll call votes will be included in NTU’s annual rating of Congress and “YES” votes will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact NTU Policy and Government Affairs Manager Alexander Ciccone at aciccone@ntu.org
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