Federally Mandated Fees

A RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Eastern Regional Interstate Child Support Association (ERICSA) was organized in 1963 to promote the development of effective family and child support programs; and

WHEREAS, ERICSA brings together judges and other decision-makers, public and private attorneys, and child support professionals traditionally from 33 states and territories bordering on, and east of, the Mississippi River as well as the District of Columbia; and

WHEREAS, the Eastern Regional Interstate Child Support Association (ERICSA) is an organization that represents child support professionals and that provides consultation, input and comments to the Congress and state legislatures regarding effective laws and funding for the child support program;

WHEREAS, ERICSA actively participates in all major efforts to improve laws, policies and practices that govern interstate child support;

WHEREAS, nationally, child support is critical income support to more than 16 million families; in FFY 2004, through the work of state and local child support agencies, the child support program collected $19.6 billion for the nation’s children;

WHEREAS, the child support enforcement program offers a range of services that support healthy involvement of the noncustodial parent in his or her child’s life;

WHEREAS, the child support program serves many families including low income families who have never received public assistance and others who have been economically impacted by divorce;

WHEREAS, any federally mandated fee would burden families, especially those who receive little support and struggle to avoid using the welfare system;

WHEREAS, such an additional fee discourages families from applying for child support;

WHEREAS, implementing and collecting mandatory fees would be costly and time consuming to State operations, including changes to systems, notices and the money collected would not justify this burdensome effort;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED 27th day of April 2006 that the Eastern Regional Interstate Child Support Association, its Board of Directors and its President,

• Oppose any federally mandated fee that may reduce the income of families and that discourages participation in the child support program, and
• Urge Congress to eliminate federally mandated fees in the child support enforcement program that negatively impact the nation’s families.