[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 3 (Monday, January 22, 2001)]
[Page 172]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Efforts To Toughen Child Support Enforcement

January 17, 2001

    Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
released new data showing that our administration's tough child support 
enforcement efforts have been effective and are paying off for our 
children. Child support collections broke new records in 2000, 
collecting $18 billion, an increase of $10 billion since 1992. The new 
data today also shows that in 2000 alone, nearly 700,000 delinquent 
noncustodial parents were matched to more than one million financial 
records and that through withholding tax refunds, a record $1.4 billion 
in overdue child support was collected, twice the amount collected when 
I took office.
    Our administration's commitment to work with States to efficiently 
and effectively hold noncustodial parents accountable for their child 
support obligations has demonstrated significant improvement over the 
last 8 years. Today, parents who owe child support have their wages 
garnished, their Federal loans and passports denied, their bank accounts 
seized, and their tax refunds withheld. Last year alone, nearly 3.5 
million delinquent noncustodial parents were located through the 
National Directory of New Hires posting.
    In addition, Welfare to Work grants have helped States, tribes, and 
communities nationwide have created programs that help low income, 
noncustodial fathers get and keep jobs that will allow them to pay child 
support and provide their children emotional support. Congress just 
enacted my proposal to extend these grants for an additional 2 years.
    Despite these tremendous gains, there is still more to do. In my FY 
2001 budget, I proposed the fathers work/families win initiative to help 
low income fathers and families work and support their children, along 
with needed reforms to the child support system. I urge the next 
administration and the 107th Congress to take action this year to 
promote responsible fatherhood and ensure that more child support goes 
directly to families.