[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 106 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  THE DAD-FINDER ACT OF 1994 AND THE CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 
                                  1994

                                 ______


                            HON. JIM COOPER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 4, 1994

  Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, most of us agree that the current welfare 
system desperately needs fixing. Taxpayers are fed up with paying for 
it, and even people on welfare realize that they are being trapped in a 
cycle of dependency--sometimes for two and three generations. 
Unfortunately, many of us fear that partisan gridlock will keep 
comprehensive welfare reform from being passed by this Congress.
  The American people have told us that we have to do something about 
welfare. And we have to do it now. That's why I am proposing measures 
which will help fix a significant problem within our welfare system--
child support.
  I have met too many women in my home State of Tennessee who have been 
forced onto welfare because the fathers of their children do not pay 
child support. Many times, the father has never been identified. Other 
times, the father has tried to escape his obligations. As a result, the 
American taxpayer, through the welfare system, has to come up with the 
child support payments for these children.
  I have introduced two separate bills that would help tackle these 
problems while saving taxpayers billions of dollars. The first bill is 
the Dad Finder Act of 1994. This measure would help identify fathers of 
children born out of wedlock by encouraging paternal identification 
programs both before and at the time of birth and by cutting off 
welfare benefits where fathers have not been identified.
  The second bill is the Child Support Enforcement Act of 1994. This 
bill would crack down on deadbeat dads by authorizing the seizure of 
their bank accounts, property, and even gambling winnings, and 
restricting their ability to obtain credit or professional and drivers' 
licenses. This measure would also make grandparents financially 
responsible for their grandchildren when the children's parents cannot 
or will not make child support payments.
  There is nothing revolutionary about either of these measures. In 
fact, many of these provisions can be found in welfare reform proposals 
already introduced by both Democrats and Republicans. However, these 
are ideas whose time has come. I urge my colleagues to support this 
profamily legislation.

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