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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 19, 2009
Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act of 2009 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to: (1) funding for responsible fatherhood programs; and (2) elimination of separate TANF work participation rate for two-parent families.
Amends SSA title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) to prohibit a state from collecting any amount owed it by reason of costs it has incurred for the birth of a child for whom support rights have been assigned.
Revises requirements for collection and distribution of child support, including the rules for the distribution of child support collected on behalf of children in foster care beginning with FY2011.
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Repeals the requirement that states condition receipt of TANF or certain other benefits on assignment to the state of certain support rights. Authorizes states to make such a condition, at their own discretion, as well as to discontinue such assignments.
Requires a state to make a full distribution of collected child support to the family.
Repeals mandatory fee for child support collection.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to states for an employment demonstration project involving a court- or state child support agency supervised-employment program for noncustodial parents who have barriers to employment and a history of nonpayment, so that they can pay child support obligations.
Directs the Secretary of Labor to award grants for transitional jobs programs and for public-private career pathways partnerships.
Conditions continued approval of a state plan under part D upon state assessment of its policies with respect to barriers to employment and financial support of children.
Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2009 with respect to: (1) deductions from family income for child support received in order to qualify for food stamps; (2) verification of child support payments; and (3) inclusion of economic opportunities programs in qualifying work programs.
Amends SSA title IV part A with respect to: (1) grants to healthy family partnerships for domestic violence intervention and prevention; and (2) entities receiving grants and their procedures for addressing domestic violence prevention.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) modify the earned income tax credit; (2) provide an additional tax credit for certain workers required to make child support payments; and (3) provide for marriage penalty relief.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to: (1) the economic substance doctrine; (2) imposition of a penalty for understatements attributable to transactions lacking economic substance; and (3) denial of a deduction of interest on underpayments attributable to noneconomic substance transactions.
People & committees
Sen. Bayh, Evan [D-IN] · D–IN
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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