Oregon Republican Demands Feds Review Governor Kotek’s $1M Tribal-Only Welfare Boost

Republican Oregon state Rep. Dwayne Yunker formally requested that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) review the state’s tribal-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program after Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek directed $1 million in emergency assistance.

In response to the former government shutdown and its effect on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Kotek directed $1 million in emergency aid to nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon to help address food assistance, along with $5 million for the Oregon Food Bank network. However, in a letter sent to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Yunker raised questions about the use of taxpayer dollars.

“Oregonians deserve full transparency when it comes to how federal welfare dollars are being used,” Yunker stated. “When a million dollars in TANF funds is distributed rapidly and outside of normal processes, the public has the right to understand the basis for that decision and whether it complies with federal law.”

Oregon, according to the state’s Department of Human Services (ODHS), has an estimated 757,000 individuals currently on SNAP benefits, with an estimated 8,600 tribal members using TANF funds. With $1 million given to the tribes in the state, an estimated $117 would be going to each tribal member. In comparison, the $5 million given to the 757,000 Oregon residents’ would be roughly giving each resident under $7.