Davis Opening Statement at Joint Subcommittee Hearing on Child Support

(As prepared for delivery) 

Ensuring that children receive financial support from both of their parents is a powerful and cost-effective way to fight child poverty. In fiscal year 2022, the federal child support program distributed more than $27 billion in parental support to nearly 13 million children – over $700 million in my home state of Illinois. For children living in poverty, child support nearly doubles their household income. And because the support was provided by parents, for every dollar the federal government spent facilitating child support, children received $4.73.

Child support makes children and our country better off in other ways, too. Children who receive child support have fewer school problems, higher grades, and are more likely to finish high school and attend college than those who do not. It’s also a tool to improve racial equity – for example, Black children are nearly twice as likely to live with a single parent and need child support.

Over the years, we have modernized the child support program based on research and the voices of parents in our communities. Today’s child support program directs the vast majority of collections to meet the immediate needs of children. It recognizes that the primary reason for nonpayment of child support is inability to pay, not lack of love. And it focuses on generating predictable income for families, in part by setting child support awards at levels non-custodial parents can afford and helping them get good jobs.

I am honored that one of our witnesses today is Vicki Turetsky, who spent her career fighting for children and has been the linchpin of so much progress. I am particularly grateful for the work Vicki did with me and other Members of Congress to help incarcerated parents and non-custodial parents get a second chance to support their children and to push for child support funds to be directed to the families who need them. I also welcome Bryan Tribble, the Administrator of the Illinois Office of Child Support Services.

Tribal child support programs are especially critical because of high poverty rates among Native American children. Child support programs administered by tribes have proven to be creative and effective in using methods rooted in their culture to engage parents and increase support for children. I believe tribal child support programs should have the same tools and information access as state programs, and I am glad we have such strong bipartisan agreement on that issue.

We can still do more to improve the federal child support program. To build trust with non-custodial parents, it’s important for states to fully-implement regulations requiring them to set reasonable child support award levels and pass through child support to the children, rather than retaining it for the state. It is essential that we ensure that states are not charging parents child support when their children enter foster care, a practice that delays reunification and inflicts harm on already struggling parents.  I also support allowing states to use child support funds for employment services – when parents earn more, they can provide more for their children. And, I want to make sure that our child support policies do not harm kinship caregivers.

Chair LaHood, Chair Schweikert, thank you for holding this hearing. I look forward to working together to strengthen child support and reduce child poverty.