Cuts to child support enforcement make no sense

Capital Eye by Randi Bjornstad

You really have to wonder what direction this country is taking when you hear that the U.S. Congress recently chose to cut financing for programs that collect unpaid child support for millions of kids in this country while at the same time passing out many more millions in the form of tax breaks to people who already have more money than they know what to do with.

Something’s definitely wrong with this kind of thinking.

It took a tie-breaking vote in the Senate by Vice President Dick Chaney to complete this unholy transaction, which also involved severe cutbacks in support of some of the nation’s other most vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled. Ironically, that’s the only bright spot in this whole debacle, because forcing the vote to a tiebreaker means there’s more independent thinking going on in the Senate, at least, than has been the case for some time.

But that’s small comfort to all the children who will continue to go without adequate food, shelter, clothing, not to mention “enrichment” activities such as sports, arts and recreation taken for granted by their luckier counterparts.

Many senators from both parties rose in opposition to the cutbacks in federally funded programs that help state and local governments go after “deadbeat” parents who owe but decline to pay for the basic needs of children they’ve brought into the world.

Sen. John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, had sharp words for the measure, which he said will result in the loss of child-support payments far beyond the amount cut by the federal government, which amounts to $5 billion over five years and $16 billion over 10 years.

“What is the impact of these cuts on child support collected? This will reduce child support collections by $7.9 billion over 5 years and $24.1 billion over 10 years,” Cornyn said on the floor of the Senate. “That is right, for a $5 billion cut, it eliminates $7.9 billion in child support collections. For a $16 billion cut, it eliminates $24.1 billion in collections.”

Cutting child-support enforcement efforts makes no sense, Cornyn said, because in 2004, “the child support program collected $21.9 billion while the program costs were $5.3 billion…In other words, for every $1 spent by the federal taxpayer, $4.38 in child support was collected for the children who need it…and who are legally entitled to it.”

Others, too, had harsh words for the proposed budget cuts, including Rep. C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, a Democrat from Maryland.

“There is so much wrong with this legislation that I do not know where to begin,” Ruppersberger began. “This budget reconciliation bill cuts essential government programs that serve the most vulnerable members of our society. Society and government are judged by how we take care of those in need, and we must do better. All totaled, the bill cuts spending by $53.9 billion dollars, which includes cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, student loans and child support.”

Federal statistics show that only 45 percent of custodial parents receive the full amount of child support due them for the care of the children of the failed union, Ruppersberger said. “Cutting funding to states for child support enforcement is obviously moving in the wrong direction.”

Since that seems so patently obvious, it’s hard to understand why more members of the U.S. Congress just don’t get it. Obviously, it’s not enough for them to be given this message by their colleagues, regardless of which side of the aisle they occupy.

No doubt nearly everyone in this country knows personally of some fractured family in which one parent owes–and has reneged–on vital child support needed to keep his or her children out of poverty, at the worst, and at best at parity with their peers in terms of normal–not excessive–advantages.

For the federal government to turn its back on the well-being of the more than 10 million children who do not receive the support to which they are entitled is unconscionable.

Obviously, the Congress doesn’t understand the importance of maintaining adequate support for the country’s children.

Perhaps only the voices–loud and clear–of the people will persuade them to rethink what they have done.

For more information or to express an opinion, contact:

*Your state’s congressional representatives

*Sen. John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, , 517 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; (202) 224-2934

*Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, Democrat of Maryland, 1630 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; (202) 225-3061