[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 17 (Friday, January 27, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           CHILD SUPPORT NOW

  (Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, today is day 24 of Contract With America. I 
have reviewed the contract and I have asked myself what is in the 
contract for children. I have carefully reviewed the Personal 
Responsibility Act and there are no child support provisions.
  Child support is the cornerstone of welfare reform. We cannot have 
successful welfare reform without strong child support enforcement 
provisions.
  It is time to address this issue head on. It is day 24 of the 
contract. We need to set goals on child support enforcement legislation 
now.
  We need to send a message to the American people that we are serious 
about welfare reform. A tough child support system requires both 
parents to live up to their responsibilities.
  Out-of-wedlock births have increased. There is no such thing as an 
illegitimate baby. We need to send a message to the noncustodial parent 
who is one-half responsible for the birth of the child. The parent 
needs to know of his obligation to support the child.
  Massachusetts has been very successful with child support enforcement 
and should serve as a role model for the rest of the country. 
Massachusetts has increased its child support collection rate from 51 
percent to 67 percent over a 3-year period.
  We need child support enforcement legislation at the Federal level. 
Unfortunately, child support enforcement is not adequately addressed in 
the contract.
  It is day 24. Where is child support in the contract?

                          ____________________