The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Extension

Floor Speech

* Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of two of today's scheduled bills, the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Extension.

* The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act makes the necessary improvements to the Child Welfare Services and Promoting Safe and Stable Families programs to ensure accountability of the funds spent in the programs. Particularly, the waiver requirements and the required Government Accountability Office study will help reduce the duplication of funds for these programs.

* Regarding the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Extension, I feel that this three month extension will provide the proper time to discuss, debate and research the benefits of mandating drug-testing and substance abuse treatment programs as a requirement for individuals to receive funds under this program. Including such a provision will increase the accountability of means-tested cash recipients and send a message that substance abuse will not be tolerated or supported by the federal government.

* I see a direct link in the issue of substance abuse and child maltreatment; I feel that the inclusion of a drug-testing requirement would improve both programs and increase their efficiency.

* I look forward to working on this issue with my colleagues in the Subcommittee on Human Resources, the Ways and Means Committee and the House of Representatives at-large.

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