U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01), along with Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Dan Bishop (NC-08), Lauren Boebert (CO-03), and Ralph Norman (SC-05), issued a letter today to President Joe Biden urging him to enact work requirements as a feature of welfare reform. Specifically, the letter calls for the Biden Administration to work with Congress to cut irresponsible spending in order to address the looming national debt crisis.
Text of the full letter sent to President Biden can be found HERE and below:
LETTER TEXT
President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
As the United States approaches the brink of untenable debt levels, I write to urge you to work with the United States Congress to enact work requirements as a feature of welfare reform. According to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s January 24, 2023, correspondence to House Speaker McCarthy, “…a debt issuance suspension period will begin on [Thursday, January 19, 2023], and last through Monday, June 5, 2023.” In the interim period, all branches of the federal government must work together to find a solution. The United States has a history of bipartisanship, regarding welfare, including the work surrounding President Bill Clinton’s 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, negotiated with a Republican House.
In a 10-year period, commonsense welfare reform could save the United States billions of dollars. Most of all, structural reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will better position funding for people in need while incentivizing able-bodied people to return to the workforce. These incentives will prevent the condemnation of SNAP beneficiaries to a life of dependency; instead, incentives will restore their dignity.
Work requirements for able-bodied adults promote community engagement and a transition to self-sufficiency. These proposals would build on actions taken by the Trump administration to crack down on states’ abuse of waivers for able-bodied adults, which began under the Obama administration. Breaking this poverty trap will help future generations avoid welfare programs altogether.
We must act now to stop a gridlock and prevent the crippling of our economy at this critical juncture. President Biden, I am eagerly waiting for your response to this letter, and I look forward to working together on behalf of the American people.
Sincerely,
Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, Lauren Boebert, and Ralph Norman
Members of Congress
