2023: Fitzpatrick Voted For The Fiscal Responsibility Act Of 2023,
Which Updated The Baseline For Calculating Certain State Workforce
Participation Standards For The TANF Program And Established A Pilot
Program For States To Create Work Benchmarks And Lower Assistance To
Those Who Refuse To Comply With Work Requirements. In May 2023,
according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the Fiscal
Responsibility Act of 2023, which would, in part, "update the baseline
for calculating certain state workforce participation standards for the
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and provide for a pilot
program for states to establish work outcome benchmarks and reduce
assistance to beneficiaries who refuse to meet work requirements." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 314 to 117,
thus the bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate passed the bill, sent
it to President Biden, and it was signed into law. [House Vote 243,
5/31/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/31/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3746]
Left-Leaning Democrats Opposed The Package Due To Work Requirement
Expansions For Welfare Programs And Changes To The Permitting
Process For Federal Projects. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Left-leaning House Democrats opposed the bill over its
expansion of work requirements for welfare programs and
modifications made to the environmental review process for federal
projects, among other complaints." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/31/23]
The Bill Tightened Work Requirements In The TANF Program By
Adjusting The Work Participation Rate Credits That States Could
Receive For Lowering Their Caseloads. According to CNN, "The
package will also tighten the current work requirements in the
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, primarily by
adjusting the work participation rate credits that states can
receive for reducing their caseloads." [CNN,
6/2/23]
2023: Fitzpatrick Voted For A GOP Debt Limit Package, Which Would
Modify Several Work Standards For TANF By Updating The Baseline For
Calculating Certain State Workforce Participation Standards And
Requiring Data Collection Over Work Outcomes For TANF Participants. In
April 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for
the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, which would "also modify various work
standards for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program,
including to update the baseline for calculating certain state workforce
participation standards and require states to collect certain data
related to work outcomes for TANF participants." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 217 to 215, thus the
bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 199,
4/26/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/26/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
2811]