HR 1488, the Hyde-Woolsey Act recently introduced in Congress is a misguided attempt to increase child support collections from so-called “Deadbeat Parents.” This act would turn over the collection of child support to the IRS. Aside from the constitutional questions this proposal raises, HR 1488 is impractical and simply will not work.

The primary reason that child support goes uncollected is that the obligor simply doesn’t have the ability to pay, or doesn’t even know that an order exists. For example, prosecutors in Los Angeles County, California have acknowledged that on average they incorrectly name the wrong man about 350 times a month in default paternity cases. These men often find themselves facing enormous arrears due to retroactive orders and must pay although they were never notified of the hearings, and DNA tests prove they are not the fathers.

Uncollected child support will continue to be a problem until Congress faces up to the real problem. Child support guidelines are too high, and due process rights are not observed with regard to the modification of support obligations in the face of the changing circumstances of the obligated parent. In addition, child support needs to be tied to parental access in order to guarantee that all children have an ongoing and meaningful relationship with both of their parents.

I urge you to oppose HR 1488.

Sincerely,