IB
Union Calendar No. 459
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4678
[Report No. 106–793, Part I]
To provide more child support money to families leaving welfare, to simplify
the rules governing the assignment and distribution of child support
collected by States on behalf of children, to improve the collection of
child support, to promote marriage, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 15, 2000
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut (for herself, Mr. CAMP, and Mr. ENGLISH) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways
and Means, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and
Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
JULY 26, 2000
Additional sponsor: Mrs. ROUKEMA
JULY 26, 2000
Reported from the Committee on Ways and Means with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
JULY 26, 2000
Referral to the Committees on the Judiciary and Education and the
Workforce extended for a period ending not later than July 26, 2000
JULY 26, 2000
The Committees on the Judiciary and Education and the Workforce dis-
charged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State
of the Union and ordered to be printed
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 15, 2000]
A BILL
To provide more child support money to families leaving
welfare, to simplify the rules governing the assignment
and distribution of child support collected by States on
behalf of children, to improve the collection of child sup-
port, to promote marriage, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Support Distribu-
tion Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I—DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD SUPPORT
Sec. 101. Distribution of child support collected by States on behalf of children
receiving certain welfare benefits.
TITLE II—REVIEW AND ADJUSTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS
Sec. 201. Mandatory review and modification of child support orders for TANF
recipients.
TITLE III—DEMONSTRATION OF EXPANDED INFORMATION AND
ENFORCEMENT
Sec. 301. Guidelines for involvement of public non-IV-D child support enforce-
ment agencies in child support enforcement.
Sec. 302. Demonstrations involving establishment and enforcement of child sup-
port obligations by public non-IV-D child support enforcement
agencies.
Sec. 303. GAO report to Congress on private child support enforcement agencies.
Sec. 304. Effective date.
TITLE IV—EXPANDED ENFORCEMENT
Sec. 401. Decrease in amount of child support arrearage triggering passport de-
nial.
Sec. 402. Use of tax refund intercept program to collect past-due child support
on behalf of children who are not minors.
Sec. 403. Garnishment of compensation paid to veterans for service-connected dis-
abilities in order to enforce child support obligations.
TITLE V—FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS
Subtitle A—Fatherhood Grant Program
Sec. 501. Fatherhood grants.
Subtitle B—Fatherhood Projects of National Significance
Sec. 511. Fatherhood projects of national significance.
TITLE VI—MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 601. Change dates for abstinence evaluation.
Sec. 602. Report on undistributed child support payments.
Sec. 603. Use of new hire information to assist in administration of unemploy-
ment compensation programs.
Sec. 604. Immigration provisions.
Sec. 605. Correction of errors in conforming amendments in the Welfare-To-Work
and Child Support Amendments of 1999.
Sec. 606. Elimination of set-aside of welfare-to-work funds for successful perform-
ance bonus.
Sec. 607. Increase in payment rate to States for expenditures for short term
training of staff of certain child welfare agencies.
TITLE VII—EFFECTIVE DATE
Sec. 701. Effective date.
TITLE I—DISTRIBUTION OF
CHILD SUPPORT
SEC. 101. DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD SUPPORT COLLECTED
BY STATES ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN RE-
CEIVING CERTAIN WELFARE BENEFITS.
(a) MODIFICATION OF RULE REQUIRING ASSIGNMENT
OF SUPPORT RIGHTS
AS
A CONDITION
OF RECEIVING
TANF.—Section 408(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 608(a)(3)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(3) NO ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES NOT ASSIGN-
ING CERTAIN SUPPORT RIGHTS TO THE STATE.—A
State to which a grant is made under section 403
shall require, as a condition of providing assistance
to a family under the State program funded under
this part, that a member of the family assign to the
State any rights the family member may have (on be-
half of the family member or of any other person for
whom the family member has applied for or is receiv-
ing such assistance) to support from any other per-
son, not exceeding the total amount of assistance so
provided to the family, which accrues during the pe-
riod that the family receives assistance under the pro-
gram.’’.
(b) INCREASING CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS TO FAMI-
LIES
AND SIMPLIFYING CHILD SUPPORT DISTRIBUTION
RULES.—
(1) DISTRIBUTION RULES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 457(a) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 657(a)) is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsections (d) and (e),
the amounts collected on behalf of a family as support by
a State pursuant to a plan approved under this part shall
be distributed as follows:
‘‘(1) FAMILIES RECEIVING ASSISTANCE.—In the
case of a family receiving assistance from the State,
the State shall—
‘‘(A) pay to the Federal Government the
Federal share of the amount collected, subject to
paragraph (3)(A);
‘‘(B) retain, or pay to the family, the State
share of the amount collected, subject to para-
graph (3)(B); and
‘‘(C) pay to the family any remaining
amount.
‘‘(2) FAMILIES THAT FORMERLY RECEIVED AS-
SISTANCE.—In the case of a family that formerly re-
ceived assistance from the State:
‘‘(A) CURRENT
SUPPORT.—To the extent
that the amount collected does not exceed the cur-
rent support amount, the State shall pay the
amount to the family.
‘‘(B) ARREARAGES.—To the extent that the
amount collected exceeds the current support
amount, the State—
‘‘(i) shall first pay to the family the
excess amount, to the extent necessary to
satisfy support arrearages not assigned pur-
suant to section 408(a)(3);
‘‘(ii) if the amount collected exceeds the
amount required to be paid to the family
under clause (i), shall—
‘‘(I) pay to the Federal Govern-
ment, the Federal share of the excess
amount described in this clause, subject
to paragraph (3)(A); and
‘‘(II) retain, or pay to the family,
the State share of the excess amount
described in this clause, subject to
paragraph (3)(B); and
‘‘(iii) shall pay to the family any re-
maining amount.
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS.—
‘‘(A) 
FEDERAL
REIMBURSEMENTS.—The
total of the amounts paid by the State to the
Federal Government under paragraphs (1) and
(2) of this subsection with respect to a family
shall not exceed the Federal share of the amount
assigned with respect to the family pursuant to
section 408(a)(3).
‘‘(B) STATE REIMBURSEMENTS.—The total
of the amounts retained by the State under para-
graphs (1) and (2) of this subsection with respect
to a family shall not exceed the State share of the
(B) APPROVAL
OF
ESTIMATION
PROCE-
DURES.—Not later than October 1, 2001, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, in
consultation with the States (as defined for pur-
poses of part D of title IV of the Social Security
Act), shall establish the procedures to be used to
make the estimate described in section 457(a)(6)
of such Act.
(2) CURRENT SUPPORT AMOUNT DEFINED.—Sec-
tion 457(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 657(c)) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(5) CURRENT
SUPPORT
AMOUNT.—The term
‘current support amount’ means, with respect to
amounts collected as support on behalf of a family,
the amount designated as the monthly support obliga-
tion of the noncustodial parent in the order requiring
the support.’’.
(c) BAN ON RECOVERY OF MEDICAID COSTS FOR CER-
TAIN BIRTHS.—Section 454 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 654)
is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(32);
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (33) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (33) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(34) provide that the State shall not use the
State program operated under this part to collect any
amount owed to the State by reason of costs incurred
under the State plan approved under title XIX for the
birth of a child for whom support rights have been as-
signed pursuant to section 408(a)(3), 471(a)(17), or
1912.’’.
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Section 409(a)(7)(B)(i)(I)(aa) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 609(a)(7)(B)(i)(I)(aa)) is amended by
striking ‘‘457(a)(1)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘457(a)(1)’’.
(2) Section 404(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
604(a)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of para-
graph (1);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
paragraph (2) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(3) to fund payment of an amount pursuant to
section 457(a)(2)(B)(i), but only to the extent that the
State properly elects under section 457(a)(6) to use
the grant to fund the payment.’’.
(3) Section 409(a)(7)(B)(i) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 609(a)(7)(B)(i)) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
‘‘(V) 
PORTIONS
OF
CERTAIN
CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS COLLECTED
ON BEHALF OF AND DISTRIBUTED TO
FAMILIES NO LONGER RECEIVING AS-
SISTANCE.—Any amount paid by a
State 
pursuant 
to 
section
457(a)(2)(B)(i), but only to the extent
that the State properly elects under
section 457(a)(6) to have the payment
considered a qualified State expendi-
ture.’’.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendments made by
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2005, and
shall apply to payments under parts A and D of title
IV of the Social Security Act for calendar quarters be-
ginning on or after such date, and without regard to
whether regulations to implement such amendments
(in the case of State programs operated under such
part D) are promulgated by such date.
(2) STATE OPTION TO ACCELERATE EFFECTIVE
DATE.—In addition, a State may elect to have the
amendments made by this section apply to the State
and to amounts collected by the State, on and after
such date as the State may select that is after the date
of the enactment of this Act and before October 1,
2005.
TITLE II—REVIEW AND ADJUST-
MENT OF CHILD SUPPORT OR-
DERS
SEC. 201. MANDATORY REVIEW AND MODIFICATION OF
CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS FOR TANF RECIPI-
ENTS.
(a) 
REVIEW
EVERY
YEARS.—Section
466(a)(10)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
666(a)(10)(A)(i)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘or,’’ and inserting ‘‘or’’; and
(2) by striking ‘‘upon the request of the State
agency under the State plan or of either parent,’’.
(b) REVIEW UPON LEAVING TANF.—
(1) NOTICE
OF
CERTAIN
FAMILIES
LEAVING
TANF.—Section 402(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 602(a))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(8) CERTIFICATION THAT THE CHILD SUPPORT
ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM WILL BE PROVIDED NOTICE
OF CERTAN FAMILIES LEAVING TANF PROGRAM.—A
certification by the chief executive officer of the State
that the State has established procedures to ensure
that the State agency administering the child support
enforcement program under the State plan approved
under part D will be provided notice of the impend-
ing discontinuation of assistance to an individual
under the State program funded under this part if the
individual has custody of a child whose other parent
is alive and not living at home with the child.’’.
(2) REVIEW.—Section 466(a)(10) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 666(a)(10)) is amended—
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking
‘‘UPON REQUEST’’;
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘this
paragraph’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (A) or
(B)’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(D) REVIEW UPON LEAVING TANF.—On re-
ceipt of a notice issued pursuant to section
402(a)(8), the State child support enforcement
agency shall—
‘‘(i) examine the case file involved;
‘‘(ii) determine what actions (if any)
are needed to locate any noncustodial par-
ent, establish paternity or a support order,
or enforce a support order in the case;
‘‘(iii) immediately take the actions;
and
‘‘(iv) if there is a support order in the
case which the State has not reviewed dur-
ing the 1-year period ending with receipt of
the notice, notwithstanding subparagraph
(B), review and, if appropriate, adjust the
order in accordance with subparagraph
(A).’’.
TITLE III—DEMONSTRATIONS OF
EXPANDED 
INFORMATION
AND ENFORCEMENT
SEC. 301. GUIDELINES FOR INVOLVEMENT OF PUBLIC NON-
IV-D CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGEN-
CIES IN CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with
States, local governments, and individuals or companies
knowledgable about involving public non-IV-D child sup-
port enforcement agencies in child support enforcement,
shall develop recommendations which address the participa-
tion of public non-IV-D child support enforcement agencies
in the establishment and enforcement of child support obli-
gations. The matters addressed by the recommendations
shall include substantive and procedural rules which should
be followed with respect to privacy safeguards, data secu-
rity, due process rights, administrative compatibility with
State and Federal automated systems, eligibility require-
ments (such as registration, licensing, and posting of bonds)
for access to information and use of enforcement mecha-
nisms, recovery of costs by charging fees, penalties for viola-
tions of the rules, treatment of collections for purposes of
section 458 of such Act, and avoidance of duplication of
effort.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this title:
(1) CHILD SUPPORT.—The term ‘‘child support’’
has the meaning given in section 459(i)(2) of the So-
cial Security Act.
(2) PUBLIC NON-IV-D CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCE-
MENT
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘public non-IV-D child
support enforcement agency’’ means an agency, of a
political subdivision of a State, which is principally
responsible for the operation of a child support reg-
istry or for the establishment or enforcement of an ob-
ligation to pay child support other than pursuant to
the State plan approved under part D of title IV of
such Act, or a clerk of court office of a political sub-
division of a State.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ shall have the
meaning given in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Se-
curity Act for purposes of part D of title IV of such
Act.
SEC. 302. DEMONSTRATIONS INVOLVING ESTABLISHMENT
AND ENFORCEMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT OB-
LIGATIONS BY PUBLIC NON-IV-D CHILD SUP-
PORT ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to deter-
mine the extent to which public non-IV-D child support en-
forcement agencies may contribute effectively to the estab-
lishment and enforcement of child support obligations.
(b) APPLICATIONS.—
(1) CONSIDERATION.—The Secretary shall con-
sider all applications received from States desiring to
conduct demonstration projects under this section.
(2) PREFERENCES.—In considering which appli-
cations to approve under this section, the Secretary
shall give preference to applications submitted by
States that have in effect laws and procedures that
provide authority for public non-IV-D child support
enforcement agencies to have access to child support
information or enforcement mechanisms available to
the State.
(3) APPROVAL.—
(A) TIMING; LIMITATION
ON
NUMBER
OF
PROJECTS.—On July 1, 2002, the Secretary may
approve not more than 10 applications for
projects providing for the participation of a pub-
lic non-IV-D child support enforcement agency
in the establishment and enforcement of child
support obligations, and, if the Secretary receives
at least 5 such applications that meet such re-
quirements as the Secretary may establish, shall
approve not less than 5 such applications.
(B) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may
not approve an application for a project
unless—
(i) the applicant and the Secretary
have entered into a written agreement
which addresses at a minimum, privacy
safeguards, 
data 
security, 
due 
process
rights, automated systems, liability, over-
sight, and fees, and the applicant has made
a commitment to conduct the project in ac-
cordance with the written agreement and
such other requirements as the Secretary
may establish;
(ii) the project includes a research plan
(but such plan shall not be required to use
random assignment) that is focused on as-
sessing the costs and benefits of the project;
and
(iii) the project appears likely to con-
tribute significantly to the achievement of
the purpose of this title.
(c) DEMONSTRATION AUTHORITY.—On approval of an
application submitted by a State under this section—
(1) the State agency responsible for admin-
istering the State plan under part D of title IV of the
Social Security Act may, subject to the privacy safe-
guards of section 454(26) of such Act, provide to any
public non-IV-D child support enforcement agency
participating in the demonstration project all infor-
mation in the State Directory of New Hires and any
information obtained through information compari-
sons under section 453(j)(3) of such Act about an in-
dividual with respect to whom the public non-IV-D
agency is seeking to establish or enforce a child sup-
port obligation, if the public non-IV-D agency meets
such requirements as the State may establish and has
entered into an agreement with the State under which
the public non-IV-D agency has made a binding com-
mitment to carry out establishment and enforcement
activities with respect to the child support obligation
subject to the same data security, privacy protection,
and due process requirements applicable to the State
agency and in accordance with procedures approved
by the head of the State agency;
(2) the State agency may charge and collect fees
from any such public non-IV-D agency to recover
costs incurred by the State agency in providing infor-
mation and services to the public non-IV-D agency
under the demonstration project;
(3) if a public non-IV-D child support enforce-
ment agency has agreed to collect past-due support
(as defined in section 464(c) of such Act) owed by a
named individual, and the State agency has sub-
mitted a notice to the Secretary of the Treasury pur-
suant to section 464 of such Act on behalf of the pub-
lic non-IV-D agency, then the Secretary of the Treas-
ury shall consider the State agency to have agreed to
collect such support for purposes of such section 464,
and the State agency may collect from the public non-
IV-D agency any fee which the State is required to
pay for the cost of applying the offset procedure in the
case;
(4) for so long as a public non-IV-D child sup-
port enforcement agency is participating in the dem-
onstration project, the public non-IV-D agency shall
be considered part of the State agency for purposes of
section 469A of such Act; and
(5) for so long as a public non-IV-D child sup-
port enforcement agency is participating in the dem-
onstration project, the public non-IV-D agency shall
be considered part of the State agency for purposes of
section 303(e) of such Act but only with respect to
any child support obligation that the public non-IV-
D agency has agreed to collect.
(d) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may waive
or vary the applicability of any provision of section 303(e),
454(31), 464, 466(a)(7), 466(a)(17), and 469A of the Social
Security Act relating to information-sharing to the extent
necessary to enable the conduct of demonstration projects
under this section, subject to the preservation of the data
security, privacy protection, and due process requirements
of part D of title IV of such Act.
(e) FEDERAL AUDIT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of
the United States shall conduct an audit of the dem-
onstration projects conducted under this section for
the purpose of examining and evaluating the manner
in which information and enforcement tools are used
by the public non-IV-D child support enforcement
agencies participating in the projects.
(2) REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General
of the United States shall submit to the Congress
a report on the audit required by paragraph (1).
(B) TIMING.—The report required by sub-
paragraph (A) shall be so submitted not later
than October 1, 2004.
(f) SECRETARIAL REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall submit to
the Congress a report on the demonstration projects
conducted under this section, which shall include the
results of any research or evaluation conducted pursu-
ant to this title, and shall include policy rec-
ommendations regarding the establishment and en-
forcement of child support obligations by the agencies
involved.
(2) TIMING.—The report required by paragraph
(1) shall be so submitted not later than October 1,
2005.
SEC. 303. GAO REPORT TO CONGRESS ON PRIVATE CHILD
SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than October 1, 2001, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to
the Congress a report on the activities of private child sup-
port enforcement agencies that shall be designed to help the
Congress determine whether the agencies are providing a
needed service in a fair manner using accepted debt collec-
tion practices and at a reasonable fee.
(b) MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED.—Among the matters
addressed by the report required by subsection (a) shall be
the following:
(1) The number of private child support enforce-
ment agencies.
(2) The types of debt collection activities con-
ducted by the private agencies.
(3) The fees charged by the private agencies.
(4) The methods used by the private agencies to
collect fees from custodial parents.
(5) The nature and degree of cooperation the pri-
vate agencies receive from State agencies responsible
for administering State plans under part D of title
IV of the Social Security Act.
(6) The extent to which the conduct of the pri-
vate agencies is subject to State or Federal regulation,
and if so, the extent to which the regulations are effec-
tively enforced.
(7) The amount of child support owed but uncol-
lected and changes in this amount in recent years.
(8) The average period of time required for the
completion of successful enforcement actions yielding
collections of past-due child support by both the child
support enforcement programs operated pursuant to
State plans approved under part D of title IV of the
Social Security Act and, to the extent known, by pri-
vate child support enforcement agencies.
(9) The types of Federal and State child support
enforcement remedies and resources currently avail-
able to private child support enforcement agencies,
and the types of such remedies and resources now re-
stricted to use by State agencies administering State
plans referred to in paragraph (8).
(c) PRIVATE CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘private child support
enforcement agency’’ means a person or any other non-pub-
lic entity which seeks to establish or enforce an obligation
to pay child support (as defined in section 459(i)(2) of the
Social Security Act).
SEC. 304. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This title shall take effect on the date of the enactment
of this Act.
TITLE IV—EXPANDED
ENFORCEMENT
SEC. 401. DECREASE IN AMOUNT OF CHILD SUPPORT AR-
REARAGE TRIGGERING PASSPORT DENIAL.
Section 452(k) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
652(k)) is amended by striking ‘‘$5,000’’ and inserting
‘‘$2,500’’.
SEC. 402. USE OF TAX REFUND INTERCEPT PROGRAM TO
COLLECT PAST-DUE CHILD SUPPORT ON BE-
HALF OF CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT MINORS.
Section 464 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 664)
is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(A), by striking ‘‘(as that
term is defined for purposes of this paragraph under
subsection (c))’’; and
(2) in subsection (c)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) by striking ‘‘(1) Except as provided
in paragraph (2), as used in’’ and inserting
‘‘In’’; and
(ii) by inserting ‘‘(whether or not a
minor)’’ after ‘‘a child’’ each place it ap-
pears; and
(B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3).
SEC. 403. GARNISHMENT OF COMPENSATION PAID TO VET-
ERANS FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABIL-
ITIES IN ORDER TO ENFORCE CHILD SUP-
PORT OBLIGATIONS.
Section 459(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
659(h)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)(A)(ii)(V), by striking all
that follows ‘‘Armed Forces’’ and inserting a semi-
colon; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS WITH RESPECT TO COMPENSA-
TION PAID TO VETERANS FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED
DISABILITIES.—Notwithstanding any other provision
of this section:
‘‘(A) Compensation described in paragraph
(1)(A)(ii)(V) shall not be subject to withholding
pursuant to this section—
‘‘(i) for payment of alimony; or
‘‘(ii) for payment of child support if
the individual is fewer than 60 days in ar-
rears in payment of the support.
‘‘(B) Not more than 50 percent of any pay-
ment of compensation described in paragraph
(1)(A)(ii)(V) may be withheld pursuant to this
section.’’.
TITLE V—FATHERHOOD
PROGRAMS
Subtitle A—Fatherhood Grant
Program
SEC. 501. FATHERHOOD GRANTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part A of title IV of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 601–619) is amended by inserting
after section 403 the following:
‘‘SEC. 403A. FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to make
grants available to public and private entities for projects
designed to—
‘‘(1) promote marriage through counseling, men-
toring, disseminating information about the advan-
tages of marriage, enhancing relationship skills,
teaching how to control aggressive behavior, dissemi-
nating information on the causes and treatment of
domestic violence and child abuse, and other methods;
‘‘(2) promote successful parenting through coun-
seling, mentoring, disseminating information about
good parenting practices including prepregnancy,
family planning, training parents in money manage-
ment, encouraging child support payments, encour-
aging regular visitation between fathers and their
children, and other methods; and
‘‘(3) help fathers and their families avoid or
leave cash welfare provided by the program under
part A and improve their economic status by pro-
viding work first services, job search, job training,
subsidized employment, career-advancing education,
job retention, job enhancement, and other methods.
‘‘(b) FATHERHOOD GRANTS.—
‘‘(1) APPLICATIONS.—An entity desiring a grant
to carry out a project described in subsection (a) may
submit to the Secretary an application that contains
the following:
‘‘(A) A description of the project and how
the project will be carried out.
‘‘(B) A description of how the project will
address all three of the purposes of this section.
‘‘(C) A written commitment by the entity
that the project will allow an individual to par-
ticipate in the project only if the individual is—
‘‘(i) a father of a child who is, or with-
in the past 24 months has been, a recipient
of assistance or services under a State pro-
gram funded under this part;
‘‘(ii) a father, including an expectant
or married father, whose income (net of
court-ordered child support) is less than 150
on the same basis as fathers, expectant fa-
thers, and married fathers.
‘‘(B) 
PREFERENCES.—In 
determining
which entities to which to award grants under
this subsection, the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to an entity—
‘‘(i) to the extent that the application
submitted by the entity describes actions
that the entity will take that are designed
to encourage or facilitate the payment of
child support, including but not limited
to—
‘‘(I) obtaining a written commit-
ment by the agency responsible for ad-
ministering the State plan approved
under part D for the State in which
the project is to be carried out that the
State will voluntarily cancel child sup-
port arrearages owed to the State by
the father as a result of the father pro-
viding various supports to the family
such as maintaining a regular child
support payment schedule or living
with his children (unless the father has