Ensuring Children Receive Support Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6903) to require the Secretary of State to revoke any United States passport issued to an individual, on receipt of a certification by the Secretary of Health and Human Services that the individual has a child support arrearage exceeding $2,500, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring Children Receive Support Act''. SEC. 2. REVOCATION OF PASSPORTS ISSUED TO INDIVIDUALS WITH A CHILD SUPPORT ARREARAGE EXCEEDING $2,500.
(a) In General.--Section 452(k) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 652(k)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``, revocation, or limitation'' and inserting ``or revocation''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``may revoke, restrict, or limit'' and inserting ``revoke''; and
(B) by inserting ``, and notify such individual of the intent to take such action'' before the period.
(b) Exception.--Notwithstanding the amendments made by subsection (a), if an individual is abroad and needs to return to the United States on an emergency basis, the Department of State is authorized to issue a temporary passport for that purpose. That passport will be good only for the return to the United States of the individuals and will be limited in duration. SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2026.
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Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6903, the Ensuring Children Receive Support Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Representatives Beth Van Duyne and Jimmy Panetta.
This legislation has a simple premise: Parents must meet their obligations to care for their kids, period. It is pretty simple.
To ensure that is happening, State-level child support agencies rely in part on the Passport Denial Program, which is run out of the State Department and, as its name suggests, is used to deny the ability of delinquent parents to obtain a passport to leave the country when they owe back child support.
The State Department has authority under current law to deny, limit, or revoke a passport of an individual, but as we have discovered, quite often the bureaucracy does not act with the level of urgency that is needed. This bill makes it clear that the State Department must revoke an individual's passport, both at the time of initial application for a passport and at the time of renewal.
Research indicates that child support is a significant portion of income for low-income families, making up 41 percent of total income when received and can help reduce poverty and reliance on welfare. Among all families served, 24 percent have income below the Federal poverty level.
Representatives Van Duyne and Panetta are doing tremendous work here to ensure that States have the enforcement tools that they need and children receive the support that they need and are owed without delay.
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Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Van Duyne), the sponsor of this legislation and someone who is standing up for children across this country to ensure that they get the support that they need.
Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I thank my colleague Congressman Panetta from California for also helping to introduce this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 6903, the Ensuring Children Receive Support Act.
Nearly 2 weeks ago, families experienced one of the largest tax refund seasons on record, with an estimated $91 billion already issued as part of an expected $370 billion refund season. On average, families can look forward to nearly $4,000 back in their pockets compared to last year, and families with two children earning $73,000 will have no Federal income tax liability.
Supporting working families is more important than ever, especially now that the working families tax cuts have been signed into law. By claiming the standard deduction and the child tax credit, families keep more of their hard-earned money to be able to provide for their families by putting food on the table, covering rent, or keeping up with everyday expenses, giving them immediate relief when it matters most.
However, ensuring children are taken care of should not be negotiable, particularly in joint custody households where both parents share responsibility. When child support obligations go unmet, that responsibility breaks down, leaving children without the consistent support they deserve.
In 2024 alone, there were over 8 million unpaid child support cases-- at the direct expense of our children. That is why stronger enforcement tools are necessary to hold delinquent parents accountable.
Mr. Speaker, just weeks after the Ways and Means Committee marked up my legislation, we have seen reports that the administration is moving to proactively revoke passports for individuals who owe significant child support. That reinforces exactly what this bill is about: making sure the tools we already have are used both effectively and consistently.
The passport denial program administered by the State Department currently allows for the denial or revocation of a passport when an individual owes more than $2,500 in past-due child support and seeks consular services.
My bill strengthens this program by requiring the State Department to revoke an individual's passport and notify them of the intent to take such action. If an individual is abroad when their passport is revoked, the State Department may make an emergency exception to allow that individual to return to the United States.
Since its implementation, this program has successfully collected over $600 million in past-due child support, including $30 million in 2024 alone. This legislation builds on that success by strengthening enforcement and ensuring accountability for those who deliberately evade their obligations as parents.
When parents meet their responsibilities, children have greater stability. Families are stronger, and taxpayers are not left picking up the tab.
Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense, bipartisan step forward and a clear win for children and families. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation strengthens the federal child support enforcement program, which is meant to ensure parents pay the support that they owe to their children.
This program is one of the most effective Federal programs we have. In 2024, States reported nearly $30 million in collections through the passport denial program, and over 5,000 payments were made to custodial families.
The bill closes a loophole in current law that can let parents with large unpaid child support debts receive a passport renewal without consequence. This bill makes sure that the State Department uses its authority to revoke passports, both at the time of the application and renewal. We should use every opportunity to make sure children get the support that they need to thrive.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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