Issues
This page provides a summary of the legislative issues that are currently top of mind for our organization. Here you will find a brief overview of the key topics we are focused on and why they are important to us.
For more detailed explanations and information on additional issues and legislative developments that UCOWF is involved with, please visit our fact sheet page.
State Retention Money
By law, states may retain a percentage of dollars recovered from cases of proven fraud and abuse. However, there are no restrictions on how the states may use those dollars. This is a crucial issue for the United Council on Welfare Fraud. We believe that dollars recovered from acts of proven fraud and abuse should be restricted for use exclusively to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute welfare fraud and abuse. That means dollars recovered from fraudsters will fund efforts to reduce fraud and abuse. Earmarking state retention dollars exclusively to fight welfare fraud is our highest legislative advocacy priority.
National Accuracy Clearing House
The National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC) is a database matching program designed to prevent duplicate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation in multiple states. Although it successfully completed its pilot program in 2015, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the US Department of Agriculture independently decided to delay NAC deployment nationwide, basing its decision on alleged privacy concerns. Duplicate participation costs millions of taxpayer dollars annually and UCOWF wants lawmakers to act now to require FNS to field this program immediately. Immediately implementing the NAC is our second highest legislative advocacy priority.
EBT Trafficking
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) is a delivery system for SNAP and other federal benefit programs. The EBT card, like any other credit or debit card, is vulnerable to thieves, scammers, and even beneficiaries who misuse their benefits for purposes other than those for which they are intended. The global banking industry has adopted common sense measures to mitigate credit card theft, fraud, and abuse but the federal government refuses to implement any of these measures when it comes to an EBT card and its use. Requiring FNS to adopt banking industry standards for EBT card creation and use in order to reduce theft, fraud, and abuse is our third highest legislative advocacy priority.
For more information, contact our Intergovernmental Affairs Committee chairs:
- Andy McClenahan
- Dawn Royal