Reps. Israel, Obey Blast House Leadership for Slashing $1.5 Billion to Go After Dead Beat Dads
Political Desk
January 23, 2006
Hauppauge, NY- On Monday, Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY 02) and Congressman David Obey (D-WI 7th), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, joined local leaders and affected family members to blast the House Republican Leadership for slashing $1.5 billion in funds to go after dead beat dads.
The Budget Reconciliation bill that the Republicans will bring up upon their return exposes their misplaced priorities. In one of the most jarring examples, cuts to child support enforcement will cost $8.4 billion dollars over ten years in lost child support collections, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
"This move by the House Leadership to cut child support enforcement is tragically short-sighted," said Israel. "Instead of keeping families off welfare and cracking down on deadbeat dads, the Republicans want to cut enforcement, which will cost more in the long run. Nearly 16 million families rely on the child support program, and every dollar spent on establishing and enforcing child support orders results in about $4 of child support being collected for families. That means $8.4 billion lost in child support collections over the next 10 years. Not to mention, these children desperately need this program to ensure their most basic needs are met."
"For a party that claims to be pro-family, this action is amazing," added Obey.
Experience with child support enforcement over the last several years has shown it is a highly effective program. Child support enforcement:
In New York every $1.00 spent on child support enforcement, yields $4.31. Simply put, instead of spending money on enforcement, we're going to be spending more money on Welfare and other social programs. And it's estimated that the cuts could cause lost child support collections of $486 million over 10 years in New York alone.
Joining Representatives Israel and Obey were Suffolk County Legislator Elie Mystal (D-Amityville), Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee; Dennis Nowak, Suffolk County Department of Social Services; Karen McGuire, of the Matrimonial Commission, which examines every facet of the divorce process in New York; and affected family members.
The Budget Reconciliation bill that the Republicans will bring up upon their return exposes their misplaced priorities. In one of the most jarring examples, cuts to child support enforcement will cost $8.4 billion dollars over ten years in lost child support collections, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
"This move by the House Leadership to cut child support enforcement is tragically short-sighted," said Israel. "Instead of keeping families off welfare and cracking down on deadbeat dads, the Republicans want to cut enforcement, which will cost more in the long run. Nearly 16 million families rely on the child support program, and every dollar spent on establishing and enforcing child support orders results in about $4 of child support being collected for families. That means $8.4 billion lost in child support collections over the next 10 years. Not to mention, these children desperately need this program to ensure their most basic needs are met."
"For a party that claims to be pro-family, this action is amazing," added Obey.
Experience with child support enforcement over the last several years has shown it is a highly effective program. Child support enforcement:
- Reinforces the responsibility of non-custodial parents to provide financial and medical support for their children;
- Reduces economic hardship among children and promotes children's achievement in school;
- Helps single parents-overwhelmingly mothers-make ends meet and become self sufficient; and
- Collected $22 billion last year at a total cost of about $5 billion to the federal and state government combined: that's $4.38 in private child support collected for every public dollar spent
In New York every $1.00 spent on child support enforcement, yields $4.31. Simply put, instead of spending money on enforcement, we're going to be spending more money on Welfare and other social programs. And it's estimated that the cuts could cause lost child support collections of $486 million over 10 years in New York alone.
Joining Representatives Israel and Obey were Suffolk County Legislator Elie Mystal (D-Amityville), Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee; Dennis Nowak, Suffolk County Department of Social Services; Karen McGuire, of the Matrimonial Commission, which examines every facet of the divorce process in New York; and affected family members.
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