Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 28, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: National Child Support Guidelines Commission Title II: Centralized Child Support Enforcement Title III: Effective Dates Child Support Reform Act of 1997 - Title I: National Child Support Guidelines Commission - Establishes the National Child Support Guidelines Commission to study and evaluate various child support guidelines used by the States, identify their benefits and deficiencies, and recommend improvements. Prescribes matters for Commission consideration. Requires the Commission to submit a final assessment to the Congress and the President on how State child support guideline models are serving custodial parents and children. Title II: Centralized Child Support Enforcement - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) establish an Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Centralized Child Support Enforcement in the Internal Revenue Service to locate absent parents, facilitate enforcement of child support obligations, and establish a Division of Enforcement by October 1, 1997; and (2) promulgate regulations for the coordination of activities among the Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Centralized Child Support Enforcement, the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the States. (Sec. 202) Amends the Social Security Act with respect to the Federal Parent Locator Service to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) compare information in the National Directory of New Hires against information in the support case abstracts in the Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders at least every two business days; and (2) report matches of the two files within two business days to the Division of Enforcement for centralized enforcement. (Sec. 203) Prescribes Division of Enforcement duties. Authorizes the Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Centralized Child Support Enforcement, through the Division of Enforcement, to assess and collect unpaid arrearages under the same enforcement guidelines as pertain to a tax imposed under the Internal Revenue Code whose collection would be jeopardized by delay. Authorizes use of the Federal courts for such enforcement. (Sec. 204) Requires State plans for child and spousal support to provide for State cooperation with the Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Centralized Child Support Enforcement to facilitate information exchange regarding child support cases and the enforcement of orders by the Commissioner. Title III: Effective Dates - Sets forth the effective dates for this Act.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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