Arcuri Announces Legislation to Restore Child Support Enforcement

State of New York, Dec 13, 2007

Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) announced that he is a cosponsor of the Child Support Protection Act which would repeal cuts to child support enforcement passed by the 109th Congress in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.

“As a former DA, I know how tough it is for localities to enforce child support payments,” Arcuri said. “Local police do everything they can to help families, but often times they are stretched thin and in need of more resources. The Child Support Protection Act would restore federal matching funds to help states and localities collect child support.”

Across America, 16 million children rely on money collected through enforcement for basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter. However, during the budget reconciliation process in 2005, $8.4 billion was cut from child support enforcement.  The Child Support Protection Act would repeal this cut before it is implemented. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the bill would increase child support collections by $11 billion over the next decade by continuing past policy for child support funding.

“This legislation helps local law enforcement do their job and ensure every family gets the support they deserve,” Arcuri said.

By restoring federal matching payments for the child support incentive funds, The Child Support Protection Act would:

• Increase funding directly tied to performance
• Require more dead-beat parents to meet their responsibility
• Help more vulnerable families stay off public assistance
• Reduce poverty among children