“It’s a privilege for Americans to receive federal welfare support in order to help them make ends meet, but when folks are not holding up their end of the bargain, they shouldn’t be rewarded for breaking the law,” said Cramer. “The CUFF Act restores the original intent of the 1996 welfare reform law by prohibiting individuals with outstanding warrants from receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, ensuring only law-abiding citizens are supported by the U.S. Government.”

“I could not vote for this bill because it would take Supplemental Security Income benefits away from tens of thousands of elderly people and people with mental health issues or disabilities because they have outdated or dormant warrants that, in the majority of cases, law enforcement does not pursue. Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal says: ‘Despite the title of the bill, the seniors and people with severe disabilities who would be harmed by this bill are not felons, as the Chairman acknowledged at our markup.’”