The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has less than two weeks to craft a plan containing savings in discretionary programs, entitlement reforms, and/or revenue increases. There is no indication that it is anywhere near an agreement on anything. Child support enforcement (CSE) is at risk of being cut across-the-board.
Since the August enactment of the Budget Control Act, there has been legal ambiguity whether or not federal funds for child support administration and incentives would be subject to across-the-board cuts (sequestration) or if it would continue to be considered as an entitlement exempt from sequestration. There are conflicting provisions in prior budget laws containing a sequestration option and how CSE should be treated.
The congressional committees overseeing CSE are aware of the ambiguity. The Administration's Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which has the power to sequester, has been asked to clarify and confirm the long-standing treatment of CSE as an entitlement, but such clarification has not been issued.
The National Women's Law Center prepared and sent a legal brief to OMB outlining the arguments why CSE should not be cut across-the-board. A 1985 budget law subjected child support to sequester under a special rule that recognized the reductions already scheduled in the administrative matching rate via the 1984 Child Support Amendments. In a 1997 law, Congress exempted CSE from sequester, and that provision was reaffirmed 2010.
Congress failed to remove the old 1985 provision, however, from law. Child support advocates argue that, under long-standing rules of statutory construction, the later provision of law supersedes any earlier provision.
At this point, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement assumes the entire child support program would be subject to across-the-board cuts.
Please click here to contact your members of Congress. Call them today to urge that they work with Super Committee members to urge OMB to protect CSE as a long-standing entitlement exempt from across-the-board cuts. For further information, please contact Colleen Eubanks at ColleenEubanks@ncsea.org.
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2012 Web-Talk Calendar Here
On-Line Web-Talk Registration Here Download and Print Order Form Here Beyond UIFSA: Challenges in Interstate Case Processing (CLE Eligible**) March 14, 2012 2:00-3:30 pm We all are guided by the same set of federal regulations and bound by the provisions of UIFSA and FFCCSOA. So why, after all these years, are we still facing challenges? Jurisdiction, modification, duration, just to name a few. Join us as we discuss these "tions" and cover some other top issues surrounding cases in the multi-jurisdictional world. (this program is greared toward those with a minimum of intermediate knowledge of UIFSA) Speakers: Margaret Campbell Haynes, Esq Senior Associate Center for the Support of Families Jeanette Savoy Supervisor Colorado Central Registry Mary Dahlberg Deputy Attorney General California Office of the Attorney General Please note: NCSEA may not be able to offer CLE credit to those who register less than four weeks prior to the Web-Talk.
The FPLS Portal: The Next Level of Communication
March 28, 2012 2:00-3:30 pm Come join in as we discuss OCSE's newest communication tool - the State Services Portal (SSP). The new Portal brings information to you as you need it. You can inquire and make on-line adjustments to offset and passport denial information; request locate information from FPLS sources like SSA, DOD, IRS; see NDNH information on-line; access Query Interstates Cases for Kids (QUICK) to gain information about shared cases with other states - without going through a phone tree; see detailed information about employers who accept electronic income withholding orders; learn about lump sum payments being made by employers; and receive detailed information about pay and allotments received by active military personnel. Sound too good to be true? You’ll see a demonstration of all this, and be in on the ground floor as we discuss plans for the future. You will not want to miss hearing how OCSE has taken child support to the next level with the FPLS Portal! Over half of the states are on the Portal --- are you one of them? Speakers:
Cynthia Holdren Employer Specialist Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement Cristol Porter FPLS State Technical Support Liaison Vinette Elam End User Support Lead OCSE Angie Tutwiler Federal Collections and Enforcement Analyst OCSE Moderator: Betty LaCross FPLS Technical Support Liaison OCSE |
