A Minnesota lawmaker’s bills that would crack down on welfare fraud are getting a major boost, with the largest conservative caucus in Congress endorsing the proposals.
Rep. Brad Finstad’s (R., Minn.) proposals would direct the president to temporarily freeze foreign assistance to any country that refuses to assist America in identifying and returning taxpayer dollars illegally sent to foreign nationals. They would also require states to provide beneficiary-level SNAP data to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) in order to provide the federal government with the information necessary to detect and prosecute welfare fraud.
The Republican Study Committee (RSC), led by Rep. August Pfluger (R., Texas), is endorsing both Finstad’s Fraud Accountability and Recovery Act and SNAP Data Transparency and Oversight Act, the Washington Reporter can exclusively confirm; this move is the latest by the RSC to bolster programs that prevent large-scale fraud. “This is part of the mandate we were sent to Washington to deliver,” an RSC insider told the Reporter.
The RSC’s backing of Finstad’s legislation comes as the committee works to shape the House GOP’s next moves ahead of a potential second reconciliation package.
For Finstad, the need to crack down on welfare fraud is personal, because his home state has dominated headlines for weeks; reports of widespread welfare fraud in Minnesota likely played a role in Gov. Tim Walz’s (D., Minn.) decision to not seek what would have been a third term in the North Star State.
“Minnesotans have watched billions of taxpayer dollars disappear because of failed oversight and a refusal by Minnesota Democrats to take fraud seriously,” Finstad said. “These bills are about restoring accountability, securing the integrity of safety-net programs, and making sure help goes to those who truly need it, not criminals exploiting a broken system. I’m grateful to the RSC for standing with me to put taxpayers first and bring transparency and commonsense back to government programs.”
Pfluger said that “the American people are rightly outraged by the massive welfare fraud uncovered under Governor Tim Walz’s watch.”
“Taxpayers are being robbed blind while Americans who truly depend on these programs are left out in the cold,” he added. “I commend Congressman Finstad for putting Minnesotans first, and the RSC stands with him in restoring integrity to our federal and state programs.”