The American Feminist

The American Feminist, Summer 1996

Congresswomen Get Tough on Child Support

Representative Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) and a bipartisan group of congresswomen introduced the Child Support Enforcement Act of 1996 at a press conference on May 15, 1996. The legislation was originally part of H.R. 4, the welfare reform bill which was vetoed by President Clinton. The president has indicated that, if passed by Congress, he will sign this freestanding bill.

If enacted, the bill would:

• establish state registries to streamline the collection and distribution of child support;
• establish uniform laws governing interstate child support cases;
• establish a registry of new hires to compared to deadbeat parents across the country;
• require child support arrears collected after a parent has left welfare to be distributed to the family first and limit states' financial liabilities;
• increase paternity establishment by simplifying procedures and facilitating voluntary acknowledgement of paternity;
• expand penalties for child support delinquency to include the suspension of driver's licenses as well as professional and occupational licenses;
• automatically report delinquency to credit bureaus;
• and contain strong privacy protection provisions.

The Child Support Enforcement Act is an important step in helping families maintain their independence from welfare. Each year, deadbeat parents fail to pay more than $5 billion in support which is more than 40 percent of the entire federal cost of Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Equally important, paternity establishment and vigorous child support will help to lessen threats against pregnancy women by partners who are willing to pay for an abortion but not child support.

(This legislation was later passed as part of the welfare reform bill of 1996.)