[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 36 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Pages 1187-1188]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting the Hague Convention on the 
International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family 
Maintenance

September 8, 2008

To the Senate of the United States:

    I transmit herewith the Hague Convention on the International 
Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, adopted 
at The Hague on November 23, 2007, and signed by the United States on 
that same date, with a view to receiving the advice and consent of the 
Senate to ratification, subject to the reservations and declaration set 
forth in the report of the Secretary of State. The report of the 
Secretary of State, which includes an overview of the Convention, is 
enclosed for the information of the Senate.
    The United States supported the development of the Convention as a 
means of promoting the establishment and enforcement of child support 
obligations in cases where the custodial parent and child are in one 
country and the non-custodial parent is in another. The Convention 
provides for a comprehensive system of cooperation between the child 
support authorities of contracting states, establishes procedures for 
the recognition and enforcement of foreign child support decisions, and 
requires effective measures for the enforcement of maintenance 
decisions. It is estimated that there are over 15 million child support 
cases in the United States and that an increasing number of these cases 
will involve parties who live in different nations. United States courts 
already enforce foreign child support orders, while many countries do 
not do so in the absence of a treaty obligation. Ratification of the 
Convention will thus mean that more U.S. children will receive the 
financial support they need from both their parents.
    The Department of State and the Department of Health and Human 
Services, which leads the Federal child support program, support the 
early ratification of this Convention. The American Bar Association and 
the National Child Support Enforcement Association have also expressed 
support for the Convention. Although some new implementing legislation 
will be required, the proposed Convention is largely consistent with 
current U.S. Federal and State law. Cases under the Convention will be 
handled through our existing comprehensive child support system, which 
involves both Federal and State law. The Departments of State and Health 
and Human Services have been working on preparation of the necessary 
amendments to Federal law to ensure compliance with the Convention, and 
that legislation will soon be ready for submission to the Congress for 
its consideration. The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform 
State Laws has worked closely with the Departments of State and Health 
and Human Services to develop the necessary amendments to uniform State 
child support legislation.

    The Convention requires only two contracting states for entry into 
force. No state has yet ratified the Convention. Early U.S. ratification 
would therefore likely hasten the Convention's entry into force. This 
would be in the interests of U.S. families, as it would enable them to 
receive child support owed by debtors abroad more quickly and reliably. 
I therefore recommend that the Senate give prompt and favorable 
consideration to the Convention and give its advice and consent to 
ratification, subject to the reservations and declaration described in 
the accompanying report of the Secretary of State, at the earliest 
possible date.

                                                George W. Bush

 The White House,
 September 8, 2008.

Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
September 9.

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