Child Support Enforcement

November 13 , 2007

The Child Support Protection Act of 2007, S. 803 and H.R. 1386, was introduced by Senators John Rockefeller (D-WV) and John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Senate and Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) in the House. The bill repeals the cuts made to Child Support Enforcement in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. It has attracted bipartisan, bi-cameral support, but more cosponsors are needed to increase momentum and move the legislation.

At NETWORK, we support the Child Support Protection Act as a means of improving the quality of life of children in single-parent families, both financially and emotionally. The cuts to the program disproportionately affect the wellbeing of families who are poor. These are also the families who need the program most. NETWORK supports a full restoration of the Deficit Reduction Act cuts to Child Support Enforcement, providing single parents the resources they require to raise healthy children in stronger families.

Background

The Child Support Enforcement Program serves about 17 million, or one-quarter, of the nation’s children who live in single-parent families, ensuring that financial support is received from the non-custodial parent. It is highly cost-effective, and is consistently among the Office for Management and Budget’s top-rated programs. Every 74-cent investment by the federal government brings in $4.58 in support from a non-custodial parent.

Child support reduces poverty, bringing one million children out of poverty every year. When received, it accounts for an average of 31% of income in single-mother families, exceeded only by the mother’s earned income. Families that receive child support are more likely to leave TANF and less likely to return.

Child support enforcement also builds stronger families since non-custodial fathers who pay child support are more involved with their children, emotionally as well as financially.

The child support program was overhauled by Congress in 1996 during welfare reform, and an elaborate system of incentives and penalties was implemented. This program has nearly doubled collections, while barely increasing costs to the enforcement agency. Child Support Enforcement collected $24 billion in 2006, a 92% increase over collections in 1996.

Effective October 1, 2007, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 eliminated the federal funding match for the incentive program. This loss of administrative support will result in staff reductions and, according to the Congressional Budget Office, at least $11 billion in uncollected child support over the next ten years. Child support agencies will be forced to drop the most intensive cases, which often involve the poorest families.

NETWORK will work for passage of the Child Support Protection Act.