S. 1763Senate113th Congress (2013-2015)In Committee

Child Support Enforcement Effectiveness Act of 2013

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2 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

November 21, 2013

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

November 21, 2013

SenateIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8462)

November 21, 2013

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

November 21, 2013

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about S. 1763 on the floor

3 Democrats

Sen. John D. Rockefeller IVD-WV · Nov 21, 2013

Mr. President, I am proud today to introduce the Child Support Enforcement Effectiveness Act of 2013. This legislation will set the stage for improving child support enforcement across our country, and will provide states with more funds to allow them to do so. Through these crucial investments in this important child welfare program, we can improve the lives of thousands of children across our country.

Child support enforcement is a State-Federal partnership that works. For every dollar agencies and departments spend on child support enforcement, states collect an average of $5.19 in child support due. For that reason alone, this is an extraordinary use of taxpayer dollars. In 2010, the child support enforcement program a11owed States to collect more than $26 billion on behalf of the children and families to whom that money is owed. There is no question that these children benefit because they receive support from both their parents.

In addition to being an effective use of taxpayer dollars, child support enforcement is one of our most important investments in child welfare. Experts have repeatedly found that it is one of the most effective programs in reducing poverty rates among working families. For single parents below the poverty line, child support often represents as much as half of their family's income, and makes the difference between whether children's basic needs are met or not.

Because of the tremendous success of the child support enforcement program, we should work to improve it even further. One way we can improve it is by identifying best practices at the state level, so every state can maximize their return. West Virginia recovers about $4.99 for each dollar it spends on child support enforcement. Some states recover substantially more for each dollar they spend. By arming every State with information about what works and what doesn't, we can help States maximize the return on their investment and recover the largest possible amount on behalf of children.

This legislation would also permanently restore full funding for child support enforcement by reinstating the Federal match for incentive payments that States reinvest in their child support enforcement programs. By providing the resources for States to have robust child support enforcement programs, we can profoundly improve the lives of so many children across our Nation.

Sen. John D. Rockefeller IVD-WV · Nov 21, 2013

Sen. Jeff MerkleyD-OR · Nov 21, 2013

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about an issue that is extremely important to the Central Oregon economy. For over 40 years, an agreement has been out of reach in the Crooked River Basin in…

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about an issue that is extremely important to the Central Oregon economy. For over 40 years, an agreement has been out of reach in the Crooked River Basin in central Oregon on how to allocate water from the Prineville Reservoir to meet the diversity of needs. Over the last few years, Senator Wyden and I have worked with a broad group of water users in the Basin and have come to a solution.

Today, Senator Wyden and I are introducing the Crooked River Collaborative Water Security Act of 2013 that will provide a comprehensive framework for improving the management of water in the Crooked River, while creating opportunities for economic growth and new jobs in central Oregon. This is especially good news in central Oregon, a region that has been plagued with unemployment since the beginning of the Great Recession and is in need of new jobs.

This legislation is built on a broad coalition of stakeholder support. I want to thank those stakeholders who put aside preconceived notions, came to the negotiating table, and worked out a solution that could achieve such a broad range of support.

The key elements of the legislation include meeting the municipal water needs for the city of Prineville long into the future, so the city can continue to attract new businesses like the data centers of Facebook and Apple that have recently moved to the region; providing greater certainty for the agricultural community that depends on the Crooked River for irrigation and is the heart and soul of the Central Oregon economy; allowing water to be released from Bowman Dam to help maintain healthy steelhead, salmon and trout fisheries, which are cherished by local fisherman; allowing the Bowman Dam to be retrofitted to install a hydroelectric turbine and generate low-cost, clean power and create construction jobs; and creating a process to help better plan for dry years, including the impact on fish habitat and fishing, as well as boating and other recreational activities.

This bill is a comprehensive solution to a problem that has plagued the region for 40 years and it has the support of numerous groups in the Central Oregon region. The time is now for the Senate to quickly move on this bill and help the Central Oregon economy move forward.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Ron WydenD-OR · Nov 21, 2013

Mr. President, today I rise to join Senator Merkley and cosponsor a bill that strikes a balance between the competing demands for a scarce resource, Crooked River water. The Crooked River…

Mr. President, today I rise to join Senator Merkley and cosponsor a bill that strikes a balance between the competing demands for a scarce resource, Crooked River water. The Crooked River Collaborative Water Security Act of 2013 is the product of long and determined negotiations to find solutions that will benefit many interests in and around Prineville, Oregon. I was pleased to work to advance this bill last Congress, and I look forward to working with Senator Merkley, other colleagues, and all the supporters of the bill to achieve the many benefits of this bill for Central Oregon.

Oregon works best when Oregonians work together and this is an example of what can be done when faced with a very challenging set of issues. The City of Prineville needs water to grow economically. Irrigators along the Crooked River want certainty for future water supply. The local utility Portland General Electric would like to build a small hydroelectric plant on the Bureau of Reclamation's Bowman Dam. And the Warm Springs Tribes and conservation groups seek to ensure more water is available for in-stream flows to protect reintroduced salmon runs in the Crooked River.

Water in the West is often the heart of many contentious battles, but these parties and more worked tirelessly and in good faith to build a consensus to meet those many important needs. The bill allocates uncontracted water in Bowman Dam to give water to the City and for fish populations, while attaining certainty for the contracted water for irrigation. It also moves the Wild and Scenic River Act boundary to a place that makes sense and would enable hydroelectric generation. The bill more explicitly looks after the recreation interests enjoyed by flatwater users above the dam.

I express my gratitude for the many groups and individuals who have worked diligently to strike the balance on the Crooked River. I look forward to working with those groups, the Bureau of Reclamation, Congressman Greg Walden, and especially Senator Merkley, who has shown determined leadership in marshaling this bill, to move this bill through Congress and to the President's desk this Congress.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued November 21, 2013

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1763

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 21, 2013

Mr. Rockefeller introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To increase the effectiveness of child support enforcement and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Child Support Enforcement Effectiveness Act of 2013.

Commission on Child Support

(a)

Establishment

There is hereby established a Commission to be known as the Commission on Child Support (referred to in this section as the Commission).

(b)

Membership

(1)

Appointment

The Commission shall be composed of 15 members, to be appointed not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, as follows:

(A)

The majority and minority leaders of the Senate, in consultation with the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, shall jointly appoint 4 members.

(B)

The Speaker and the minority leader of the House, in consultation with the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, shall jointly appoint 4 members.

(C)

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall appoint 7 members.

(2)

Qualifications

The membership of the Commission shall consist of individuals who are knowledgeable on issues regarding child support and related activities and shall include, among others, individuals representing the interests of parents, including noncustodial parents.

(3)

Period of appointment; quorum

The provisions under paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 126 of the Family Support Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 666 note) providing for appointment of members and quorum for transaction of business shall apply to the Commission to the same extent and in the same manner as those provisions applied to the Commission on Interstate Child Support.

(4)

Meetings

(A)

Initial meeting

Following appointment of all of the members of the Commission, the first meeting of the Commission shall be held on the first date for which all members are available (as is determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services).

(B)

Chairman

During the first meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall elect a chairman from among its members.

(C)

Other meetings

Following the first meeting of the Commission, any subsequent meetings shall be at the call of the chairman or by a majority vote of the membership.

(D)

Open to the public

All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public and any interested persons shall be permitted to appear at open meetings and present oral or written statements on the subject matter of the meeting, subject to such requirements and limitations as are determined appropriate by the chairman. All meetings of the Commission shall be preceded by timely public notice in the Federal Register of the time, place, and subject of the meeting.

(5)

Compensation

Members of the Commission are not entitled to receive compensation for service on the Commission. Members may be reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.

(c)

Duties

(1)

Review of child support enforcement programs

The Commission shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of existing child support enforcement programs and collection practices employed by State agencies administering programs under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.), including a review of any unintended consequences or performance issues associated with such programs and practices.

(2)

National Conferences

During fiscal years 2014 and 2015, the Commission shall hold 1 or more national conferences on child support reform for purposes of preparing the report described in paragraph (3).

(3)

Report to Congress

Not later than October 1, 2015, the Commission shall prepare and submit a report to Congress that contains recommendations for such legislative and administrative actions as the Commission determines appropriate for improvement in child support enforcement, including the following:

(A)

Methods to enhance the effectiveness of child support enforcement programs and collection practices, as determined pursuant to the Commission's review of such programs and practices under paragraph (1).

(B)

Implementation of distribution policies that ensure children are the beneficiaries of child support paid by noncustodial parents.

(C)

Fostering engagement by noncustodial parents in their children's lives by consideration of parental time and visitation with children in determining child support, and the role for alternative dispute resolution in making such determination.

(D)

Development of best practices for purposes of connecting custodial parents to services and support programs, including services for parents who are victims of domestic violence.

(E)

Development of best practices for purposes of employment support, job training, and job placement for custodial and noncustodial parents.

(F)

Establishment of services, supports, and child support payment tracking for noncustodial parents, including options for prevention and intervention on uncollectible arrearages such as retroactive obligations and Medicaid birthing costs.

(G)

Development of options for States to collect child support payments from individuals who owe arrearages in excess of $2,500.

(d)

Powers

The provisions under section 126(e) of the Family Support Act of 1988 providing for use of mails, donations, procurement and contracting authority, and establishment of rules shall apply to the Commission to the same extent and in the same manner as those provisions applied to the Commission on Interstate Child Support.

(e)

Termination

The Commission shall terminate 60 days after submission of the report described in subsection (c)(3).

(f)

Funding

(1)

Authorization of appropriations

For purposes of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2015.

(2)

Unobligated amounts

Any amounts made available under this section that are unobligated on the date of the termination of the Commission under subsection (e) shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.

Reinstatement of Federal matching of State spending of child support incentive payments

Effective as if enacted on October 1, 2013, section 455(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 655(a)(1)) is amended by striking from amounts paid to the State under section 458 or.