Medicare fraud prevention week: protecting TANF

This press release from Representative Brian J. Mast (R-FL) was published on 2026-06-03 and titled "Medicare fraud prevention week: protecting TANF".

Medicare fraud prevention week: protecting TANF

Every dollar stolen from a program meant for struggling families is a dollar that is stolen from the taxpayer, and worse, is a dollar that never reaches the people who need it most. Fraudsters shouldn't be able to get away with it, and states that can't protect taxpayer dollars shouldn't be trusted with them. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) spends $16.5 billion every year to help low-income families get back on their feet, and it's one of the only federal programs that isn't even required to measure improper payments. Last year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the bulk of TANF spending operates with almost no financial guardrails, and one witness told the Ways and Means Committee the lack of oversight had created an environment that supports widespread fraud. I joined House Republicans today to address all of this and pass the Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in TANF Act .