[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 39 (Wednesday, April 13, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 INTRODUCTION OF THE ENHANCED ACCESS TO SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT [EASE] ACT 
                                OF 1994

                                 ______


                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 13, 1994

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, the failure of the child support 
enforcement system in the United States is nothing short of a national 
disgrace.
  Almost 75 percent of custodial mothers who are entitled to receive 
child support either lack a support order or fail to receive full 
payment. Of those mothers who actually have a child support award--not 
even half actually collect what is owed. Thus, lack of child support is 
major contributor to the high poverty rate in single-parent families--
and children suffer through no fault of their own.
  The root of this problem lies in the current patchwork of laws and 
legal actions which control both the award and payment of child 
support. A parent seeking support confronts a dizzying array of legal 
rules and procedures--which can suddenly change when one parent or the 
child is moved to another State.
  Americans' increased mobility has greatly multiplied the number of 
cases involving the interstate enforcement of support orders. In this 
situation, confusion often arises regarding which State's laws should 
be applied and which State has jurisdiction to decide a child support 
claim. As a result of these uncertainties, children who are entitled to 
receive support are suffering needlessly.
  To address this problem, I am introducing the Enhanced Access to 
Support Enforcement [EASE] Act of 1994. The EASE Act will require each 
State to grant full faith and credit to the child support judgments 
rendered by the courts of other states.
  While not removing the courts or lawyers from the child support 
system, the bill is intended to limit drawn out litigation and 
relitigation of claims. It is intended to promote simplicity and 
fairness in a system which is currently anything but simple or fair.
  Under my bill, each State will be required to recognize the child 
support orders of another State, until that State no longer has 
jurisdiction. By streamlining procedures, the bill will reduce the time 
and money involved in enforcing an order and allow more children to 
receive the support to which they are entitled.
  Mr. Speaker, by spending less money on litigation, more can be spent 
on the children who need and deserve financial support from their 
parents. I therefore urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important 
legislation.

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