"Congress has obviously done a very poor job [of] maintaining oversight of this program, and it's time to eliminate it," McSweeney told U.S. News. "I don't want to put anyone else at risk."

McSweeney first made the suggestion in an informal debate Monday for the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune, where he also defended Republican House leaders as "men of integrity" and praised their push to have the Justice Department investigate Foley.

Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean disagrees that the program should be ended and instead blames GOP House leaders for the scandal.

"We need leadership that will not tolerate at any level a lack of oversight and protection for children," Bean said at the newspaper debate.

—Silla Brush