NW Kentucky News

The Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services recently conducted a hearing titled "Examining the Growth of the Welfare State, Part 1" to analyze the expansion of welfare programs over six decades and explore reform strategies. The hearing addressed how current welfare systems encourage dependency, penalize marriage, and discourage individuals from seeking better opportunities. Experts proposed solutions at federal and state levels to safeguard taxpayer funds from abuse.

Key points highlighted include the impact of welfare policies on marriage rates and long-term government assistance reliance. Robert Rector from The Heritage Foundation noted that "welfare marriage penalties exist because welfare benefits are based on joint income within a household." Patrice Onwuka from Independent Women pointed out that duplicative programs lead to waste and fraud: "The U.S. spends $1 trillion on over 80 anti-poverty programs."

During discussions, Ms. Onwuka acknowledged loopholes in employment requirements for welfare recipients: “It is true...states have exempted individuals in their jurisdiction from work requirements.” Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas) suggested removing marriage penalties by implementing simplified support programs based on income, marital status, and employment: “I think there ought to be a sliding scale up and down instead of ‘you don’t qualify’ or ‘we do this’…”

Efforts by Elon Musk and the Trump Administration to reduce the welfare state were also noted. Chairman Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) raised concerns about tracking federal spending on welfare recipients: “Do you know about how much we spend a day on what we refer to as welfare programs?” Rector responded that no comprehensive record exists.

Representative Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) addressed expanded Medicaid programs during COVID-19 enabling able-bodied adults to collect benefits without working. Ms. Onwuka emphasized that “60% of able-bodied adults” are enrolled in Medicaid despite available jobs.

Finally, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) discussed taxpayer dollars spent on illegal immigrants' healthcare, childcare, student loans, and more through various federal programs: "According to various estimates, we’re spending right around $50 billion on the federal level...”