[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11147-11148]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    SAVING PRECIOUS WELFARE DOLLARS

  (Mr. POLIQUIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Speaker, sadly, rural Maine is ground zero for the 
opioid epidemic in America.
  Every day, on average, Mr. Speaker, one fellow Mainer dies from an 
overdose. Sixty percent of our families are impacted one way or another 
from this scourge.
  For years, Mr. Speaker, law enforcement officials in Maine have found 
electronic benefit transfer cards, or EBT cards, at drug busts. Every 
month, these EBT cards are replenished with food stamps and other 
welfare benefits intended to help disadvantaged families. But too often 
these valuable cards are used to buy drugs.
  Mr. Speaker, this has got to stop. I have found a commonsense way to 
do that. My Food Stamp Integrity Act permanently disqualifies anyone 
convicted of drug trafficking from receiving food stamps. This will 
help make sure limited welfare benefits are saved to compassionately 
help moms and dads put food on the table for hungry kids.
  Additionally, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3151 will require able-bodied adults 
without dependents, between the ages of 18 and 50, work at least 20 
hours per week, job train, or perform community service in order for 
taxpayers to help them out with food assistance.
  Mr. Speaker, similar reforms in Maine have helped lift thousands out 
of poverty and into independence and better lives through employment. 
We have plenty of jobs available.
  My bill will help save precious welfare dollars for the disabled, 
elderly, sick, and the poor. It will also help stop deadly drug 
trafficking and treat taxpayers better.

[[Page 11148]]

  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3151 is a Maine commonsense solution to a national 
problem. I ask everyone in this Chamber, Republicans and Democrats, to 
vote for it.

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