US Reps. Israel, Obey, Local Officials, Advocates, Blast House Leadership for Slashing $1.5 Billion in Funds to Go After Dead Beat Dads
01/23/06
Hauppauge, NY (1/23/06)- 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 advocates 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."
http://www.house.gov/israel/news/012306-obey.htm