Orrin Hatch: “last July, in an unprecedented over-reach of executive authority, the Obama administration violated congressional intent…”

“last July, in an unprecedented over-reach of executive authority, the Obama administration violated congressional intent and breached over a decade of precedence by granting themselves the authority to waive critical Federal work requirements. As ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the temporary assistance for needy families, or TANF, I strongly opposed this effort of the Executive branch to bypass the legislative branch of government. It is the sole responsibility of the Senate Finance Committee to develop, debate, and enact changes to the TANF programs. The TANF programs have not been fully reauthorized for over 10 years and have been funded by a series of short term extensions since 2010. During this time, poverty and, most distressingly, child poverty have risen. It is imperative to families struggling in this dire economy that the Senate Finance Committee act in a bipartisan manner to reform and improve the TANF programs. In December of last year, colleagues may remember that I sent a letter to President Obama and then subsequently went to the Senate floor and formally asked the President to instruct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw their unconstitutional welfare waiver rule and submit a comprehensive welfare reform plan to the Congress.…”