In Opposition to Reduction in the Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program Funding
Resolution 8: In Opposition to Reduction in the Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Program Funding
WHEREAS, Congress established the child support enforcement program under part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) to hold non-custodial parents accountable for supporting their children; and
WHEREAS, since its inception in 1975, the IV-D program has been jointly funded by federal, state and local governments; and
WHEREAS, the IV-D program operates under numerous federal mandates that specify actions that states must take within specific time frames, levels of performance and results that must be achieved by the state programs; and
WHEREAS, States have supported and embraced the IV-D program as Congress imposed increasingly rigorous standards and expectations and have relied on Congress' commitment to fund these federal mandates, which have required the employment of additional state and local staff and the development and implementation of more advanced and effective computer systems; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Management and Budget rated the federal child support enforcement program among the most effective programs in the federal government; and
WHEREAS, a number of state courts through cooperative agreements with the state IV-D programs have secured and utilized IV-D funds to provide a fair, just and expeditious forum for the establishment, modification and enforcement of child support orders; and
WHEREAS, the House budget reconciliation bill (HR 4241) proposes to reduce the federal funding for the Title IV-D child support enforcement program; and
WHEREAS, under this reduction the federal matching rate would be gradually reduced from 66% to 50% by FY 2010 and beginning in FY 2008, states would no longer be able to use their federal incentives payments as state match to draw down federal match dollars; and
WHEREAS, these proposed reductions in HR 4241 will erode the effectiveness of this critical program and could result in an increase in program costs for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, food stamps and the Medicaid programs;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conference of Chief Justices hereby opposes any reduction in funding for the child support program established under part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act, or any restriction on the ability of states to use federal child support incentive payments for child support program expenditures that are eligible for federal matching payments.
Adopted as proposed by the Courts, Children and Families Committee at the 29th Midyear Meeting on January 18, 2006.