丽莎·麦克莱恩以拜登政府向中东的《芝麻街》项目拨款以及针对变性老鼠的研究为例，指斥政府浪费
2026年6月5日 美国东部时间下午4:28 / 福克斯新闻
作者：查德·珀格拉姆
议员们将就反欺诈法案投票，与此同时俄亥俄州医疗补助计划正接受调查
福克斯新闻首席国会通讯员查德·珀格拉姆在《美国报道》节目中就即将投票的新法案带来最新进展，此前民众对索马里裔涉医疗补助欺诈的担忧升温。
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共和党在2024年提出的边境漏洞竞选论调曾引发选民共鸣。在上次大选前的多份民调中，选民始终将边境安全列为最重要或第二重要的议题。
但在中期选举临近之际，情况如何呢？
如今边境已固若金汤。随着伊朗战争持续，美国经济前景岌岌可危。汽油价格飞涨。而唐纳德·特朗普总统立法议程的标志性成果——“宏大美丽法案”也未能如预期般成为竞选利器。
医疗、经济与“宏大美丽法案”：中期选举众生相
因此共和党正在寻找一个他们希望能在今年秋季打动选民的议题。
他们或许已经选定了欺诈问题，并重新祭出了一贯抨击的老靶子。
“我给大家举几个事实例子，”众议院共和党会议主席、密歇根州共和党众议员丽莎·麦克莱恩在周三上午共和党每周新闻发布会上宣称，“拜登政府认为向中东的《芝麻街》项目拨款2000万美元至关重要。他们还拨款800万美元用于让老鼠变性的研究。”
麦克莱恩接着指责拜登政府“为非法移民提供免费住房和汽车”，并补充道：“在拜登任内，联邦机构监管松懈、管控松散、几乎毫无问责地发放纳税人的钱。”
政府武器化基金让国会共和党人陷入困境。他们仍在琢磨该将哪些内容塞进某个经济一揽子计划中，以便在秋季向选民推销。因此目前共和党将重点放在了欺诈问题上。
“那些疯子说应该保护欺诈者。疯子说应该把美国民众辛勤挣来的税款交给偷他们钱的罪犯。这太离谱了，”麦克莱恩说道。
特朗普称反欺诈行动已追回数十亿美元浪费，称节省资金可平衡预算
众议院共和党人本周计划就三项法案展开辩论，以根除政府项目中的欺诈行为。其中一项法案将加强对儿童保育整笔拨款的监管。另一项法案将帮助防止人们骗取向社会最弱势群体提供紧急援助的项目。第三项措施将针对“幽灵学生”，打击学生资助项目中的欺诈行为。
“项目的诚信至关重要，因为纳税人不会支持充斥着欺诈的项目。无论是儿童保育项目还是食品援助计划，都是如此。美国民众希望从体系中消除欺诈，”佐治亚州共和党众议员奥斯汀·斯科特辩称。
一些民主党人认为反欺诈论调有些荒谬。
“他们根本没有触及负担能力问题。总统说他并不担心。其次，我们所有人都反对欺诈。我还没见过哪个政客在被问到‘你支持欺诈吗？’时会说‘是的’。我们都反对欺诈，”佛蒙特州民主党参议员彼得·韦尔奇说道。
另一名民主党人认为共和党在欺诈问题上抓错了重点。
“我希望看到针对特朗普政府以及特朗普家族的欺诈和腐败调查。几乎每天都有关于特朗普子女从某些政府合同中获利的报道，”弗吉尼亚州民主党参议员马克·华纳说道。
周三，共和党人启动了一项听证会，调查俄亥俄州所谓的医疗补助欺诈行为。此前他们刚揭露了明尼苏达州存在的各类欺诈行为。得克萨斯州共和党众议员布兰登·吉尔称，来自索马里社区的不法分子在这两个州都有活动。
我是俄亥俄州审计官——医疗补助欺诈不只是华盛顿的问题
“美国明尼苏达州拥有全美最大的索马里裔人口。俄亥俄州的索马里裔人口排名全美第二。现在这么说可能政治不正确，但现实是，这类欺诈活动主要来自那个社区，”吉尔说道。
在听证会上，吉尔指控索马里裔“在俄亥俄州和明尼苏达州之间来回流动”。他补充道：“这显然存在某种重叠。”
吉尔与俄亥俄州民主党参议员尼基·安东尼奥发生了争执。
“你希望看到更多索马里移民吗？”吉尔向这位州议员问道。
“就我目前理解你的问题而言，我得说我刚才差点哭出来，”安东尼奥回应道。
两人互相抢话。
“70%的索马里移民都在领取福利，”吉尔说道。
“基于虚假信息的仇恨言论比例和程度之高，令我感到震惊，”安东尼奥反驳道。
“他们正以惊人的速度骗取你们州的资金。大多数俄亥俄州人对此都有意见，”吉尔补充道。
但安东尼奥予以回击，指出过去15年来共和党一直掌控着俄亥俄州的关键权力职位。
“[共和党人]掌控着众议院、参议院、州长办公室以及四个全州性职位。如果医疗补助系统存在欺诈，那也是在共和党多数派执政期间发生的。或许是时候清理俄亥俄州的内务了，”安东尼奥驳斥道。
明尼苏达州欺诈听证会引发移民冲突，共和党议员聚焦索马里裔福利数据
福克斯新闻最近的一项民调发现，超过70%的受访者认为政府福利项目中的欺诈“非常普遍”。由于今年是选举年，共和党希望在法案提交众议院投票时，迫使民主党人就他们的反欺诈举措表态。
“对于今天可能会投票反对欺诈法案的一些民主党人，你们会不会试图将反对票武器化，并以此攻击投反对票的议员？”本人向众议院多数党领袖、路易斯安那州共和党众议员史蒂夫·斯卡利斯问道。
“我认为他们自己的选民会对此提出质疑，”斯卡利斯回应道。“如果民主党人投票反对这些法案，这将很难解释清楚。”
众议院少数党领袖、纽约州民主党众议员哈基姆·杰弗里斯反对共和党的反欺诈举措。但他给摇摆选区的民主党议员留出了自主决定的空间。
“民主党人将根据对他们所代表的选区最有利的原则做出决定。我信任每一位民主党人，尤其是那些来自摇摆选区的议员，会为他们有幸代表的民众做正确的事，”杰弗里斯说道。
周三下午，众议院通过了儿童保育欺诈法案。仅有4名民主党议员投了赞成票。
众议院共和党高层警告：共和党必须尽快推出新的“宏大美丽法案”以在中期选举前削减开支
但共和党人撤回了聚焦贫困家庭临时援助计划（TANF）欺诈的法案。原因是什么？一位资深众议院共和党领导层消息人士称，该法案缺乏足够票数，“还需要做一些调整”。另一位共和党消息人士表示，共和党议员的出席率问题可能会阻碍该法案的通过。
那么针对“幽灵学生”的法案呢？这项措施形同虚设。众议院直到本周三才进行投票。随后众议院于周五全员“缺席”，比原计划提前一天离开国会山。
这三项欺诈相关法案都是国会的“宣传法案”。这些计划不太可能成为法律。但共和党领导层认为，向选民宣传这类议题，并指出民主党人反对这些举措的投票记录，非常重要。
尽管众议院共和党人如此聚焦欺诈问题，但他们本周仅通过了三项宣传法案中的一项。
成功率为0.333。棒球名宿保罗·万纳和埃迪·柯林斯职业生涯的打击率均为0.333，两人都入选了棒球名人堂。但在国会山，0.333的通过率算不上什么值得夸耀的成绩。
点击此处下载福克斯新闻应用程序
话虽如此，共和党下周还将提出多项其他反欺诈法案。算是缓了一口气。不过，如果共和党下周在欺诈法案上不能做到全票通过，一些选民可能会将他们“下放”。
或者干脆在投票时让他们“彻底消失”。
查德·珀格拉姆目前担任福克斯新闻频道（FNC）首席国会通讯员。他于2007年9月加入该网络，总部位于华盛顿特区。
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6397457752112
Reporter’s Notebook: GOP bets on fraud crackdown as economic woes surge ahead of midterms
Lisa McClain cited Biden-era spending on Sesame Street in the Middle East and transgender mice research as examples of waste
June 5, 2026 4:28pm EDT / Fox News
By Chad Pergram
Lawmakers to vote on anti-fraud bill amid probe on Ohio’s Medicaid program
Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram has the latest on new bills up for vote amid concerns about Somalian Medicaid fraud on ‘America Reports.’
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The GOP’s campaign message about a porous border resonated with voters in 2024. Voters routinely listed border security as the first or second most important issue to them in multiple polls ahead of the last election.
But how about ahead of the midterms?
Well, the border is sealed. The nation’s economic outlook is shaky as the war in Iran drags on. Gas prices are skyrocketing. And the hallmark of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda — The One Big Beautiful Bill — hasn’t materialized as a campaign juggernaut.
HEALTHCARE, ECONOMY AND THE ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’: WELCOME TO THE MIDTERMS
President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 3, 2026.(Mandel Ngan/AFP)
So Republicans are seeking an issue they hope will connect with voters this fall.
They may have settled on fraud. And returned to a favorite old punching bag.
“I’m just going to give you a couple facts,” declared House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., at the GOP’s weekly press conference Wednesday morning. “The Biden Administration thought it was really important to spend $20 million for Sesame Street in the Middle East. They gave $8 million to make mice transgender.”
McClain continued about the Biden Administration providing “free housing and cars for illegals,” adding that “under Biden federal agencies handed out taxpayer dollars with weak oversight, loose control and almost no accountability.”
The government weaponization fund waylaid Congressional Republicans. They’re still trying to figure out what to shove into some sort of an economic package which they can pitch to the voters this fall. So for now, Republicans are focusing on fraud.
“Crazy says fraudsters should be protected. Crazy says the American people’s hard earned tax dollars should be given to criminals who are stealing their money. That’s crazy,” said McClain.
TRUMP SAYS ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS ARE UNCOVERING BILLIONS IN WASTE, CLAIMS SAVINGS COULD BALANCE BUDGET
Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., leaves a House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol Hill Club on Feb. 28, 2023.(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
House Republicans planned debate on three bills this week to root out fraud in government programs. One bill would enhance oversight over childcare block grants. Another bill would help prevent people from bilking a program which provides emergency aid to society’s most needy. A third measure would target “ghost students” and crack down on fraud in student aid programs.
“The integrity of the programs matter because the taxpayers are not going to support them when they’re filled up with fraud. And it doesn’t matter if it’s child care or SNAP. The American citizens want the fraud eliminated from the system,” argued Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.
Some Democrats found the anti-fraud message to be a little absurd.
“They’re not dealing with affordability. The President is saying he’s not concerned. Second, all of us are against fraud. I’ve yet to meet any politician who, when asked ‘Are you for fraud?’ says ‘Yes.” We’re all against it,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.
Another Democrat believes Republicans are focusing on the wrong things with fraud.
“What I would love to see is an investigation of fraud and corruption involving the Trump administration, and the Trump family. There’s not a day that goes by that there’s another story about Trump kids benefiting from some government contract,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.
On Wednesday, Republicans launched a hearing probing alleged Medicaid fraud in Ohio. This came after they unearthed various forms of fraud in Minnesota. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, claims that bad actors from the Somali community operate in both states.
I’M OHIO’S STATE AUDITOR — MEDICAID FRAUD IS NOT JUST A WASHINGTON PROBLEM
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, leaves a House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol on June 4, 2025.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“You’ve got the largest Somali population in the United States is in Minnesota. The second largest in the United States is in Ohio. Now, it’s not politically correct to say, but the reality is this fraud is coming predominantly from that community,” said Gill.
At the hearing, Gill charged that Somalis “are moving from Ohio to Minnesota and back to Ohio.” He added that “it certainly seems to have some overlap.”
Gill tangled with Democrat Ohio State Sen. Nickie Antonio.
“Would you like to see more immigration from Somalia?” Gill asked the state lawmaker.
“As far as I’m processing your question, I have to say that I was almost brought to tears just now,” replied Antonio.
The two yelled over one another.
“Seventy percent of Somali immigrants are on welfare,” said Gill.
“The rate and the level of hateful rhetoric is based on false information is shocking to me,” responded Antonio.
“They’re defrauding your state at an astounding rate. Most Ohioans have a problem with that,” piled on Gill.
But Antonio pushed back, arguing that Republicans have controlled key positions of power in the Buckeye State for the past 15 years.
“[Republicans] hold the House, the Senate, the governor’s office and four statewide offices. If there is fraud in Medicaid, it has happened on the Republican majority’s watch. Perhaps it’s time to clean Ohio’s house,” rebutted Antonio.
MINNESOTA FRAUD HEARING SPARKS IMMIGRATION CLASH AS GOP LAWMAKER SPOTLIGHTS SOMALI WELFARE DATA
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, joined by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, holds a news conference after a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 13, 2026.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A recent Fox poll found that more than 70 percent of those surveyed believe fraud is “very common” in government welfare programs. Since it’s an election year, Republicans hoped to dare Democrats to oppose their anti-fraud efforts when the bills hit the floor.
“For some of the Democrats who might vote against the fraud bills today, will you guys try to weaponize and boomerang those on members who vote no today?” yours truly asked House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.
“I think their own voters are going to be questioning that,” replied Scalise. “If Democrats vote no on that, it’s going to a hard vote to explain.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y, opposed the GOP’s anti-fraud efforts. But he gave Democrats from battleground districts a wide berth to decide what to do.
“Democrats are going to make a decision based on what’s the right thing to do for the district that they represent. And I trust every single Democrat, particularly those who are in swing districts, to do the right thing for the people that they’re privileged to represent,” said Jeffries.
On Wednesday afternoon, the House passed the childcare fraud bill. Only four Democrats voted yea.
GOP MUST RACE FOR NEW ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ TO SLASH COSTS BEFORE MIDTERMS, TOP HOUSE REPUBLICANS WARN
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 19, 2026.(Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg)
But Republicans yanked the bill focused on fraud in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) bill. The reason? One senior House GOP leadership source said the bill lacked the votes and “needed a little work.” Another Republican source said attendance issues among Republicans might inhibit passage of the bill.
So what about the ghost student bills? Well, that measure was a legislative phantasm. The House didn’t conduct votes until Wednesday this week. The House then ghosted everyone on Friday, leaving the Capitol a day earlier than planned.
This trio of fraud measures are “messaging” bills in Congress. It’s doubtful that these plans will become law. But the leadership believes it’s important to “message” a subject like this to voters. And also point to votes where Democrats opposed such efforts.
But for all of the focus on fraud by House Republicans, they only managed to pass one of their three messaging bills this week.
That’s a .333 average. Baseball old-timers Paul Waner and Eddie Collins both boasted .333 batting averages for their career. They’re in the baseball Hall of Fame. But a .333 average isn’t Cooperstown-worthy on Capitol Hill.
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That said, Republicans will tee up several other anti-fraud measures next week. So there’s a reprieve. However, if the GOP doesn’t bat 1.000 on their fraud bills next week, some voters may designate them for assignment.
Or maybe ghost them at the polls.
Chad Pergram currently serves as Chief Congressional Correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6397457752112
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