[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 24, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5119-S5120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROBERTS:
  S. 2994. A bill to provide for the mandatory revocation, in addition 
to the mandatory denial, of passports of individuals who have a certain 
level of child support arrearages; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to offer legislation that 
helps to prevent children from living in poverty and ensures that 
noncustodial parents pay child support, instead of fleeing off to hide 
from their responsibilities. I commend my fellow Kansas colleagues, 
Congressman Jerry Moran and Congressman Dennis Moore, for introducing 
similar legislation in the House.
  The problem is this: a noncustodial parent could potentially avoid 
paying their responsible share of child support by leaving the country. 
State child support enforcement agencies must certify cases to the 
State Department for passport denial if the child support debt is over 
$5,000. The $5,000 is slated to be reduced in October 2006 to $2,500 in 
accordance with Public Law 109-171. The loophole that emerges is for 
those deadbeat parents who already have a passport. Under current 
implementation of the law, the next opportunity point of enforcement is 
at the renewal of the passport, which could be several years down the 
road. The legislation I offer today closes that loophole, and simply 
instructs the State Department to revoke, in addition to denying, a 
noncustodial parent's passport once the individual's child support debt 
exceeds the amount set in law.
  Studies show that the receipt of child support is a key factor that 
keeps a child and single parent family from living in or near poverty. 
Beyond that financial security that steady child support provides, 
there is a greater likelihood that the noncustodial parent is 
personally involved in their child's life. If a parent shows 
responsibility financially, there is a bigger chance that he or she is 
involved emotionally. The impact of a noncustodial parent's involvement 
in his child's life, in many cases, results in better grades and fewer 
behavioral problems.
  In Kansas alone, there are currently 131,000 child support cases 
open, including those receiving public assistance, and those above that 
income bracket. Last year, the Kansas Child Support Enforcement program 
collected $156 million in child support. However, that number 
represents only 54 percent of all payments owed to children. 
Unfortunately, that missing 46 percent of child support overdue 
averages out to

[[Page S5120]]

just over $7,000 per child. That is quite a loss for a single-parent's 
household budget to absorb.
  Now, you might ask: What percentage of the population will this help? 
I would concede that, although this may not impact a high percentage of 
those children and families receiving child support, the impact on an 
individual family is very significant. According to my State's limited 
records on this issue, approximately 50 passport applications and 
renewals are denied on a yearly basis. That figure does not include 
those passports that should be revoked. Coupled with the upcoming 
reduction in allowable debt, the Kansas Child Support Enforcement 
Program estimates that the number of deadbeat parents affected would 
increase to 250. The security afforded by the steady stream of child 
support could be the lone determinant of a family living in poverty or 
existing on adequate financial ground.
  I encourage my colleagues to add their support to this important fix. 
We must ensure that the tools provided to the States have the teeth 
necessary to discourage deadbeat parents from running out on their 
financial responsibilities.
                                 ______