by section 321 of this Act, is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
‘‘(g) CENTRALIZED COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION
OF SUPPORT PAYMENTS.—The automated system re-
quired under this section shall be used, to the maximum
extent feasible, to assist and facilitate collections and dis-
bursement of support payments through the centralized
collections unit operated pursuant to section 454B,
through the performance of functions including at a mini-
mum—
‘‘(1) generation of orders and notices to em-
ployers (and other debtors) for the withholding of
wages (and other income)—
‘‘(A) within two working days after receipt
(from the directory of New Hires established
under section 453(i) or any other source) of no-
tice of and the income source subject to such
withholding; and
‘‘(B) using uniform formats directed by
the Secretary;
‘‘(2) ongoing monitoring to promptly identify
failures to make timely payment; and
‘‘(3) automatic use of enforcement mechanisms
(including mechanisms authorized pursuant to sec-
tion 466(c)) where payments are not timely made.’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall become effective on October 1, 1998.
SEC. 323. AMENDMENTS CONCERNING INCOME WITHHOLD-
ING.
(a) MANDATORY INCOME WITHHOLDING.—(1) Sec-
tion 466(a)(1) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(1)) is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘(1) INCOME WITHHOLDING.—
(A) UNDER
ORDERS
ENFORCED
UNDER
THE
STATE
PLAN.—Procedures described in
subsection (b) for the withholding from income
of amounts payable as support in cases subject
to enforcement under the State plan.
‘‘(B) UNDER CERTAIN ORDERS PREDATING
CHANGE IN REQUIREMENT.—Procedures under
which all child support orders issued (or modi-
fied) before October 1, 1996, and which are not
otherwise subject to withholding under sub-
section (b), shall become subject to withholding
from wages as provided in subsection (b) if ar-
rearages occur, without the need for a judicial
or administrative hearing.’’.
(2) Section 466(a)(8) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(8)) is re-
pealed.
(3) Section 466(b) (42 U.S.C. 666(b)) is amended—
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ‘‘subsection (a)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (a)(1)(A)’’;
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking all that fol-
lows ‘‘administered by’’ and inserting ‘‘the State
through the centralized collections unit established
pursuant to section 454B, in accordance with the re-
quirements of such section 454B.’’;
(C) in paragraph (6)(A)(i)—
(i) in inserting ‘‘, in accordance with time-
tables established by the Secretary,’’ after
‘‘must be required’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘to the appropriate agency’’
and all that follows and inserting ‘‘to the State
centralized collections unit within 5 working
days after the date such amount would (but for
this subsection) have been paid or credited to
the employee, for distribution in accordance
with this part.’’;
(D) in paragraph (6)(A)(ii), by inserting ‘‘be in
a standard format prescribed by the Secretary, and’’
after ‘‘shall’’; and
(E) in paragraph (6)(D)—
(i) by striking ‘‘employer who discharges’’
and inserting ‘‘employer who—(A) discharges’’;
(ii) by relocating subparagraph (A), as des-
ignated, as an indented subparagraph after and
below the introductory matter;
(iii) by striking the period at the end; and
(iv) by adding after and below subpara-
graph (A) the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(B) fails to withhold support from wages,
or to pay such amounts to the State centralized
collections unit in accordance with this sub-
section.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 466(c) (42
U.S.C. 666(c)) is repealed.
(c) DEFINITION
OF TERMS.—The Secretary shall
promulgate regulations providing definitions, for purposes
of part D of title IV of the Social Security Act, for the
term ‘‘income’’ and for such other terms relating to in-
come withholding under section 466(b) of such Act as the
Secretary may find it necessary or advisable to define.
SEC. 324. LOCATOR INFORMATION FROM INTERSTATE
NETWORKS.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by
section 323(a)(2) of this Act, is amended by inserting
after paragraph (7) the following new paragraph:
‘‘(8) LOCATOR
INFORMATION
FROM
INTER-
STATE
NETWORKS.—Procedures ensuring that the
State will neither provide funding for, nor use for
any purpose (including any purpose unrelated to the
purposes of this part), any automated interstate net-
work or system used to locate individuals—
‘‘(A) for purposes relating to the use of
motor vehicles; or
‘‘(B) providing information for law en-
forcement purposes (where child support en-
forcement agencies are otherwise allowed access
by State and Federal law),
unless all Federal and State agencies administering
programs under this part (including the entities es-
tablished under section 453) have access to informa-
tion in such system or network to the same extent
as any other user of such system or network.’’.
SEC. 325. EXPANDED FEDERAL PARENT LOCATOR SERVICE.
(a) EXPANDED AUTHORITY TO LOCATE INDIVID-
UALS
AND ASSETS.—Section 453 (42 U.S.C. 653) is
amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by striking all that follows
‘‘subsection (c))’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘, for the purpose of establishing parentage, establishing,
setting the amount of, modifying, or enforcing child sup-
port obligations—
‘‘(1) information on, or facilitating the discov-
ery of, the location of any individual—
‘‘(A) who is under an obligation to pay
child support;
‘‘(B) against whom such an obligation is
sought; or
‘‘(C) to whom such an obligation is owed,
including such individual’s social security num-
ber (or numbers), most recent residential ad-
dress, and the name, address, and employer
identification number of such individual’s em-
ployer; and
‘‘(2) information on the individual’s wages (or
other income) from, and benefits of, employment (in-
cluding rights to or enrollment in group health care
coverage); and
‘‘(3) information on the type, status, location,
and amount of any assets of, or debts owed by or
to, any such individual.’’; and
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
by striking ‘‘social security’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘absent parent’’ and inserting ‘‘infor-
mation specified in subsection (a)’’; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting before
the period ‘‘, or from any consumer reporting
agency (as defined in section 603(f) of the Fair
Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a(f))’’;
(3) in subsection (e)(1), by inserting before the
period ‘‘, or by consumer reporting agencies’’.
(b) REIMBURSEMENT FOR DATA FROM FEDERAL
AGENCIES.—Section 453(e)(2) (42 U.S.C. 653(e)(2)) is
amended in the fourth sentence by inserting before the
period ‘‘in an amount which the Secretary determines to
be reasonable payment for the data exchange (which
amount shall not include payment for the costs of obtain-
ing, compiling, or maintaining the data)’’.
(c) ACCESS TO CONSUMER REPORTS UNDER FAIR
CREDIT REPORTING ACT.—
(1) Section 608 of the Fair Credit Reporting
Act (15 U.S.C. 1681f) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘, limited to’’ and inserting
‘‘to a governmental agency (including the entire
consumer report, in the case of a Federal,
State, or local agency administering a program
under part D of title IV of the Social Security
Act, and limited to’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘employment, to a govern-
mental agency’’ and inserting ‘‘employment, in
the case of any other governmental agency)’’.
(2) REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPORTS BY STATE
AGENCIES AND CREDIT BUREAUS.—Section 453 (42
U.S.C. 653) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
‘‘(g) The Secretary is authorized to reimburse costs
to State agencies and consumer credit reporting agencies
the costs incurred by such entities in furnishing informa-
tion requested by the Secretary pursuant to this section
in an amount which the Secretary determines to be rea-
sonable payment for the data exchange (which amount
shall not include payment for the costs of obtaining, com-
piling, or maintaining the data).’’.
(d) DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURN INFORMATION.—
(1) Section 6103(1)(6)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by striking ‘‘, but only if’’ and
all that follows and inserting a period.
(2) Section 6103(1)(8)(A) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by inserting ‘‘Federal,’’ before
‘‘State or local’’.
(e) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Sections 452(a)(9), 453(a), 453(b), 463(a),
and 463(e) (42 U.S.C. 652(a)(9), 653(a), 653(b),
663(a), and 663(e)) are each amended by inserting
‘‘Federal’’ before ‘‘Parent’’ each place it appears.
(2) Section 453 (42 U.S.C. 653) is amended in
the heading by adding ‘‘FEDERAL’’ before ‘‘PAR-
ENT’’.
(f) NEW COMPONENTS.—Section 453 (42 U.S.C.
653), as amended by subsection (c)(2) of this section, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(h) DATA BANK OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than October 1,
1998, In order to assist States in administering
their State plans under this part and parts A, F,
and G, and for the other purposes specified in this
section, the Secretary shall establish and maintain in
the Federal Parent Locator Service an automated
registry to be known as the Data Bank of Child
Support Orders, which shall contain abstracts of
child support orders and other information described
in paragraph (2) on each case in each State central
case registry maintained pursuant to section
454A(e), as furnished (and regularly updated), pur-
suant to section 454A(f), by State agencies admin-
istering programs under this part.
‘‘(2) CASE INFORMATION.—The information re-
ferred to in paragraph (1), as specified by the Sec-
retary, shall include sufficient information (including
names, social security numbers or other uniform
identification numbers, and State case identification
numbers) to identify the individuals who owe or are
owed support (or with respect to or on behalf of
whom support obligations are sought to be estab-
lished), and the State or States which have estab-
lished or modified, or are enforcing or seeking to es-
tablish, such an order.
‘‘(i) DIRECTORY OF NEW HIRES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than October 1,
1998, In order to assist States in administering
their State plans under this part and parts A, F,
and G, and for the other purposes specified in this
section, the Secretary shall establish and maintain in
the Federal Parent Locator Service an automated
directory to be known as the directory of New Hires,
containing—
‘‘(A) information supplied by employers on
each newly hired individual, in accordance with
paragraph (2); and
‘‘(B) information supplied by State agen-
cies administering State unemployment com-
pensation laws, in accordance with paragraph
(3).
‘‘(2) EMPLOYER INFORMATION.—
‘‘(A) INFORMATION
REQUIRED.—Subject
to subparagraph (D), each employer shall fur-
nish to the Secretary, for inclusion in the direc-
tory established under this subsection, not later
than 10 days after the date (on or after Octo-
ber 1, 1998) on which the employer hires a new
employee (as defined in subparagraph (C)), a
report containing the name, date of birth, and
social security number of such employee, and
the employer identification number of the em-
ployer.
‘‘(B) REPORTING
METHOD
AND
FOR-
MAT.—The Secretary shall provide for trans-
mission of the reports required under subpara-
graph (A) using formats and methods which
minimize the burden on employers, which shall
include—
‘‘(i) automated or electronic trans-
mission of such reports;
‘‘(ii) transmission by regular mail;
and
‘‘(iii) transmission of a copy of the
form required for purposes of compliance
with section 3402 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986.
‘‘(C) EMPLOYEE DEFINED.—For purposes
of this paragraph, the term ‘employee’ means
any individual subject to the requirement of
section 3402(f)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986.
‘‘(D) PAPERWORK
REDUCTION
REQUIRE-
MENT.—As required by the information re-
sources management policies published by the
Director of the Office of Management and
Budget pursuant to section 3504(b)(1) of title
44, United States Code, the Secretary, in order
to minimize the cost and reporting burden on
employers, shall not require reporting pursuant
to this paragraph if an alternative reporting
mechanism can be developed that either relies
on existing Federal or State reporting or en-
ables the Secretary to collect the needed infor-
mation in a more cost-effective and equally ex-
peditious manner, taking into account the re-
porting costs on employers.
‘‘(E) CIVIL MONEY PENALTY ON NON-COM-
PLYING
EMPLOYERS.—(i) Any employer that
fails to make a timely report in accordance with
this paragraph with respect to an individual
shall be subject to a civil money penalty, for
each calendar year in which the failure occurs,
of the lesser of $500 or 1 percent of the wages
or other compensation paid by such employer to
such individual during such calendar year.
‘‘(ii) Subject to clause (iii), the provisions
of section 1128A (other than subsections (a)
and (b) thereof) shall apply to a civil money
penalty under clause (i) in the same manner as
they apply to a civil money penalty or proceed-
ing under section 1128A(a).
‘‘(iii) Any employer with respect to whom
a penalty under this subparagraph is upheld
after an administrative hearing shall be liable to
pay all costs of the Secretary with respect to
such hearing.
‘‘(3) EMPLOYMENT SECURITY INFORMATION.—
‘‘(A) REPORTING
REQUIREMENT.—Each
State agency administering a State unemploy-
ment compensation law approved by the Sec-
retary of Labor under the Federal Unemploy-
ment Tax Act shall furnish to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services extracts of the re-
ports to the Secretary of Labor concerning the
wages and unemployment compensation paid to
individuals required under section 303(a)(6), in
accordance with subparagraph (B).
‘‘(B) MANNER OF COMPLIANCE.—The ex-
tracts required under subparagraph (A) shall be
furnished to the Secretary of Health and
Human Services on a quarterly basis, with re-
spect to calendar quarters beginning on and
after October 1, 1996, by such dates, in such
format, and containing such information as re-
quired by that Secretary in regulations.
‘‘(j) DATA MATCHES AND OTHER DISCLOSURES.—
‘‘(1) VERIFICATION BY SOCIAL SECURITY AD-
MINISTRATION.—(A) The Secretary shall transmit
data on individuals and employers maintained under
this section to the Social Security Admistration to
the extent necessary for verification in accordance
with subparagraph (B).
‘‘(B) The Social Security Administration shall
verify the accuracy of, correct or supply to the ex-
tent necessary and feasible, and report to the Sec-
retary, the following information in data supplied by
the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A):
‘‘(i) the name, social security number, and
birth date of each individual; and
‘‘(ii) the employer identification number of
each employer.
‘‘(2) CHILD SUPPORT LOCATOR MATCHES.—For
the purpose of locating individuals for purposes of
paternity establishment and establishment and en-
forcement of child support, the Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) match data in the directory of New
Hires against the child support order abstracts
in the Data Bank of Child Support Orders not
less often than every 2 working days; and
‘‘(B) report information obtained from
such a match to concerned State agencies oper-
ating programs under this part not later than
2 working days after such match.
‘‘(3) DATA
MATCHES
AND
DISCLOSURES
OF
DATA IN ALL REGISTRIES FOR TITLE IV PROGRAM
PURPOSES.—The Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) perform matches of data in each com-
ponent of the Federal Parent Locator Service
maintained under this section against data in
each other such component (other than the
matches required pursuant to paragraph (1)),
and report information resulting from such
matches to State agencies operating programs
under this part and parts A, F, and G; and
‘‘(B) disclose data in such registries to
such State agencies,
to the extent, and with the frequency, that the Sec-
retary determines to be effective in assisting such
States to carry out their responsibilities under such
programs.
‘‘(k) FEES.—
‘‘(1) FOR SSA VERIFICATION.—The Secretary
shall reimburse the Commissioner of Social Security,
at a rate negotiated between the Secretary and the
Commissioner, the costs incurred by the Commis-
sioner in performing the verification services speci-
fied in subsection (j).
‘‘(2) FOR
INFORMATION
FROM
SESAS.—The
Secretary shall reimburse costs incurred by State
employment security agencies in furnishing data as
required by subsection (j)(3), at rates which the Sec-
retary determines to be reasonable (which rates shall
not include payment for the costs of obtaining, com-
piling, or maintaining such data).
‘‘(3) FOR INFORMATION FURNISHED TO STATE
AND FEDERAL AGENCIES.—State and Federal agen-
cies receiving data or information from the Secretary
pursuant to this section shall reimburse the costs in-
curred by the Secretary in furnishing such data or
information, at rates which the Secretary determines
to be reasonable (which rates shall include payment
for the costs of obtaining, verifying, maintaining,
and matching such data or information).
‘‘(l) RESTRICTION ON DISCLOSURE AND USE.—Data
in the Federal Parent Locator Service, and information
resulting from matches using such data, shall not be used
or disclosed except as specifically provided in this section.
‘‘(m) RETENTION OF DATA.—Data in the Federal
Parent Locator Service, and data resulting from matches
performed pursuant to this section, shall be retained for
such period (determined by the Secretary) as appropriate
for the data uses specified in this section.
‘‘(n) INFORMATION INTEGRITY AND SECURITY.—The
Secretary shall establish and implement safeguards with
respect to the entities established under this section de-
signed to—
‘‘(1) ensure the accuracy and completeness of
information in the Federal Parent Locator Service;
and
‘‘(2) restrict access to confidential information
in the Federal Parent Locator Service to authorized
persons, and restrict use of such information to au-
thorized purposes.
100
‘‘(o) LIMIT ON LIABILITY.—The Secretary shall not
be liable to either a State or an individual for inaccurate
information provided to a component of the Federal Par-
ent Locator Service section and disclosed by the Secretary
in accordance with this section.’’.
(g) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) TO PART D OF TITLE IV OF THE SOCIAL SE-
CURITY
ACT.—Section 
454(8)(B) 
(42 
U.S.C.
654(8)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(B) the Federal Parent Locator Service
established under section 453;’’.
(2) TO FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX ACT.—
Section 3304(16) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health, Edu-
cation, and Welfare’’ each place such term ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Health and
Human Services’’;
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking
‘‘such information’’ and all that follows and in-
serting ‘‘information furnished under subpara-
graph (A) or (B) is used only for the purposes
authorized under such subparagraph;’’;
(C) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (A);
101
(D) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as
subparagraph (C); and
(E) by inserting after subparagraph (A)
the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(B) wage and unemployment compensa-
tion information contained in the records of
such agency shall be furnished to the Secretary
of Health and Human Services (in accordance
with regulations promulgated by such Sec-
retary) as necessary for the purposes of the di-
rectory of New Hires established under section
453(i) of the Social Security Act, and’’.
(3) TO STATE GRANT PROGRAM UNDER TITLE
III OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT.—Section 303(a)
(42 U.S.C. 503(a)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (8);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
paragraph (9) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding after paragraph (9) the fol-
lowing new paragraph:
‘‘(10) The making of quarterly electronic re-
ports, at such dates, in such format, and containing
such information, as required by the Secretary of
Health and Human Services under section 453(i)(3),
102
and compliance with such provisions as such Sec-
retary may find necessary to ensure the correctness
and verification of such reports.’’.
SEC. 326. USE OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.
(a) STATE LAW REQUIREMENT.—Section 466(a) (42
U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by section 301(a) of this Act,
is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(13) 
SOCIAL
SECURITY
NUMBERS
RE-
QUIRED.—Procedures requiring the recording of so-
cial security numbers—
‘‘(A) of both parties on marriage licenses
and divorce decrees; and
‘‘(B) of both parents, on birth records and
child support and paternity orders.’’.
(b) CLARIFICATION OF FEDERAL POLICY.—Section
205(c)(2)(C)(ii) (42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C)(ii)) is amended
by striking the third sentence and inserting ‘‘This clause
shall not be considered to authorize disclosure of such
numbers except as provided in the preceding sentence.’’.
103
Subtitle D—Streamlining and
Uniformity of Procedures
SEC. 331. ADOPTION OF UNIFORM STATE LAWS.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by
sections 301(a) and 328(a) of this Act, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(14) INTERSTATE ENFORCEMENT.—
‘‘(A) ADOPTION
OF
UIFSA.—Procedures
under which the State adopts in its entirety
(with the modifications and additions specified
in this paragraph) not later than January 1,
1997, and uses on and after such date, the Uni-
form Interstate Family Support Act, as ap-
proved by the National Conference of Commis-
sioners on Uniform State Laws in August,
1992.
‘‘(B) 
EXPANDED
APPLICATION
OF
UIFSA.—The State law adopted pursuant to
subparagraph (A) shall be applied to any
case—
‘‘(i) involving an order established or
modified in one State and for which a sub-
sequent modification is sought in another
State; or
104
‘‘(ii) in which interstate activity is re-
quired to enforce an order.
‘‘(C) JURISDICTION TO MODIFY ORDERS.—
The State law adopted pursuant to subpara-
graph (A) of this paragraph shall contain the
following provision in lieu of section 611(a)(1)
of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
described in such subparagraph (A):
‘‘ ‘(1) the following requirements are met:
‘‘ ‘(i) the child, the individual obligee, and
the obligor—
‘‘ ‘(I) do not reside in the issuing
State; and
‘‘ ‘(II) either reside in this State or
are subject to the jurisdiction of this State
pursuant to section 201; and
‘‘ ‘(ii) (in any case where another State is
exercising or seeks to exercise jurisdiction to
modify the order) the conditions of section 204
are met to the same extent as required for pro-
ceedings to establish orders; or’.
‘‘(D) SERVICE
OF
PROCESS.—The State
law adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall
recognize as valid, for purposes of any proceed-
ing subject to such State law, service of process
105
upon persons in the State (and proof of such
service) by any means acceptable in another
State which is the initiating or responding
State in such proceeding.
‘‘(E) COOPERATION BY EMPLOYERS.—The
State law adopted pursuant to subparagraph
(A) shall provide for the use of procedures (in-
cluding sanctions for noncompliance) under
which all entities in the State (including for-
profit, nonprofit, and governmental employers)
are required to provide promptly, in response to
a request by the State agency of that or any
other State administering a program under this
part, information on the employment, com-
pensation, and benefits of any individual em-
ployed by such entity as an employee or con-
tractor.’’.
SEC. 332. IMPROVEMENTS TO FULL FAITH AND CREDIT
FOR CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS.
Section 1738B of title 28, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘subsection
(e)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (e), (f), and (i)’’;
(2) in subsection (b), by inserting after the 2nd
undesignated paragraph the following:
106
‘‘ ‘child’s home State’ means the State in which
a child lived with a parent or a person acting as par-
ent for at least six consecutive months immediately
preceding the time of filing of a petition or com-
parable pleading for support and, if a child is less
than six months old, the State in which the child
lived from birth with any of them. A period of tem-
porary absence of any of them is counted as part of
the six-month period.’’;
(3) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘by a court
of a State’’ before ‘‘is made’’;
(4) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘and sub-
sections (e), (f), and (g)’’ after ‘‘located’’;
(5) in subsection (d)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘individual’’ before ‘‘con-
testant’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘subsection (e)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subsections (e) and (f)’’;
(6) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘make a modi-
fication of a child support order with respect to a
child that is made’’ and inserting ‘‘modify a child
support order issued’’;
(7) in subsection (e)(1), by inserting ‘‘pursuant
to subsection (i)’’ before the semicolon;
(8) in subsection (e)(2)—
107
(A) by inserting ‘‘individual’’ before ‘‘con-
testant’’ each place such term appears; and
(B) by striking ‘‘to that court’s making the
modification and assuming’’ and inserting ‘‘with
the State of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction
for a court of another State to modify the order
and assume’’;
(9) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as
subsections (g) and (h), respectively;
(10) by inserting after subsection (e) the follow-
ing:
‘‘(f) RECOGNITION OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS.—
If one or more child support orders have been issued in
this or another State with regard to an obligor and a child,
a court shall apply the following rules in determining
which order to recognize for purposes of continuing, exclu-
sive jurisdiction and enforcement:
‘‘(1) If only one court has issued a child sup-
port order, the order of that court must be recog-
nized.
‘‘(2) If two or more courts have issued child
support orders for the same obligor and child, and
only one of the courts would have continuing, exclu-
sive jurisdiction under this section, the order of that
court must be recognized.
108
‘‘(3) If two or more courts have issued child
support orders for the same obligor and child, and
only one of the courts would have continuing, exclu-
sive jurisdiction under this section, an order issued
by a court in the current home State of the child
must be recognized, but if an order has not been is-
sued in the current home State of the child, the
order most recently issued must be recognized.
‘‘(4) If two or more courts have issued child
support orders for the same obligor and child, and
none of the courts would have continuing, exclusive
jurisdiction under this section, a court may issue a
child support order, which must be recognized.
‘‘(5) The court that has issued an order recog-
nized under this subsection is the court having con-
tinuing, exclusive jurisdiction.’’;
(11) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated)—
(A) by striking ‘‘PRIOR’’ and inserting
‘‘MODIFIED’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘subsection (e)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subsections (e) and (f)’’;
(12) in subsection (h) (as so redesignated)—
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘includ-
ing the duration of current payments and other
obligations of support’’ before the comma; and
109
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘arrears
under’’ after ‘‘enforce’’; and
(13) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(i) REGISTRATION FOR MODIFICATION.—If there is
no individual contestant or child residing in the issuing
State, the party or support enforcement agency seeking
to modify, or to modify and enforce, a child support order
issued in another State shall register that order in a State
with jurisdiction over the nonmovant for the purpose of
modification.’’.
SEC. 333. STATE LAWS PROVIDING EXPEDITED PROCE-
DURES.
(a) STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS.—Section 466 (42
U.S.C. 666) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(2), in the first sentence, to
read as follows: ‘‘Expedited administrative and judi-
cial procedures (including the procedures specified in
subsection (c)) for establishing paternity and for es-
tablishing, modifying, and enforcing support obliga-
tions.’’; and
(2) by adding after subsection (b) the following
new subsection:
‘‘(c) EXPEDITED
PROCEDURES.—The procedures
specified in this subsection are the following:
110
‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION BY STATE AGEN-
CY.—Procedures which give the State agency the au-
thority (and recognize and enforce the authority of
State agencies of other States), without the necessity
of obtaining an order from any other judicial or ad-
ministrative tribunal (but subject to due process
safeguards, including (as appropriate) requirements
for notice, opportunity to contest the action, and op-
portunity for an appeal on the record to an inde-
pendent administrative or judicial tribunal), to take
the following actions relating to establishment or en-
forcement of orders:
‘‘(A) GENETIC TESTING.—To order genetic
testing for the purpose of paternity establish-
ment as provided in section 466(a)(5).
‘‘(B) DEFAULT ORDERS.—To enter a de-
fault order, upon a showing of service of proc-
ess and any additional showing required by
State law—
‘‘(i) establishing paternity, in the case
of any putative father who refuses to sub-
mit to genetic testing; and
‘‘(ii) establishing or modifying a sup-
port obligation, in the case of a parent (or
other obligor or obligee) who fails to re-
111
spond to notice to appear at a proceeding
for such purpose.
‘‘(C) SUBPOENAS.—To subpoena any fi-
nancial or other information needed to estab-
lish, modify, or enforce an order, and to sanc-
tion failure to respond to any such subpoena.
‘‘(D) ACCESS TO PERSONAL AND FINAN-
CIAL INFORMATION.—To obtain access, subject
to safeguards on privacy and information secu-
rity, to the following records (including auto-
mated access, in the case of records maintained
in automated data bases):
‘‘(i) records of other State and local
government agencies, including—
‘‘(I) vital statistics (including
records of marriage, birth, and di-
vorce);
‘‘(II) State and local tax and rev-
enue records (including information
on residence address, employer, in-
come and assets);
‘‘(III) records concerning real
and titled personal property;
‘‘(IV) records of occupational and
professional licenses, and records con-
112
cerning the ownership and control of
corporations, partnerships, and other
business entities;
‘‘(V) 
employment 
security
records;
‘‘(VI) records of agencies admin-
istering public assistance programs;
‘‘(VII) records of the motor vehi-
cle department; and
‘‘(VIII) corrections records; and
‘‘(ii) certain records held by private
entities, including—
‘‘(I) customer records of public
utilities and cable television compa-
nies; and
‘‘(II) information (including in-
formation on assets and liabilities) on
individuals who owe or are owed sup-
port (or against or with respect to
whom a support obligation is sought)
held by financial institutions (subject
to limitations on liability of such enti-
ties arising from affording such ac-
cess).
113
‘‘(E) INCOME
WITHHOLDING.—To order
income withholding in accordance with sub-
section (a)(1) and (b) of section 466.
‘‘(F) CHANGE IN PAYEE.—(In cases where
support is subject to an assignment under sec-
tion 402(a)(26), 471(a)(17), or 1912, or to a
requirement to pay through the centralized col-
lections unit under section 454B) upon provid-
ing notice to obligor and obligee, to direct the
obligor or other payor to change the payee to
the appropriate government entity.
‘‘(G) SECURE ASSETS TO SATISFY ARREAR-
AGES.—For the purpose of securing overdue
support—
‘‘(i) to intercept and seize any peri-
odic or lump-sum payment to the obligor
by or through a State or local government
agency, including—
‘‘(I) 
unemployment 
compensa-
tion, 
workers’ 
compensation, 
and
other benefits;
‘‘(II) judgments and settlements
in cases under the jurisdiction of the
State or local government; and
‘‘(III) lottery winnings;
114
‘‘(ii) to attach and seize assets of the
obligor held by financial institutions;
‘‘(iii) to attach public and private re-
tirement funds in appropriate cases, as de-
termined by the Secretary; and
‘‘(iv) to impose liens in accordance
with paragraph (a)(4) and, in appropriate
cases, to force sale of property and dis-
tribution of proceeds.
‘‘(H) INCREASE
MONTHLY
PAYMENTS.—
For the purpose of securing overdue support, to
increase the amount of monthly support pay-
ments to include amounts for arrearages (sub-
ject to such conditions or restrictions as the
State may provide).
‘‘(I) 
SUSPENSION
OF
DRIVERS’ 
LI-
CENSES.—To suspend drivers’ licenses of indi-
viduals owing past-due support, in accordance
with subsection (a)(16).
‘‘(2) SUBSTANTIVE AND PROCEDURAL RULES.—
The expedited procedures required under subsection
(a)(2) shall include the following rules and author-
ity, applicable with respect to all proceedings to es-
tablish paternity or to establish, modify, or enforce
support orders:
115
‘‘(A) LOCATOR
INFORMATION; PRESUMP-
TIONS
CONCERNING
NOTICE.—Procedures
under which—
‘‘(i) the parties to any paternity or
child support proceedings are required
(subject to privacy safeguards) to file with
the tribunal before entry of an order, and
to update as appropriate, information on
location and identity (including Social Se-
curity number, residential and mailing ad-
dresses, telephone number, driver’s license
number, and name, address, and telephone
number of employer); and
‘‘(ii) in any subsequent child support
enforcement action between the same par-
ties, the tribunal shall be authorized, upon
sufficient showing that diligent effort has
been made to ascertain such party’s cur-
rent location, to deem due process require-
ments for notice and service of process to
be met, with respect to such party, by de-
livery to the most recent residential or em-
ployer address so filed pursuant to clause
(i).
116
‘‘(B) STATEWIDE
JURISDICTION.—Proce-
dures under which—
‘‘(i) the State agency and any admin-
istrative or judicial tribunal with authority
to hear child support and paternity cases
exerts statewide jurisdiction over the par-
ties, and orders issued in such cases have
statewide effect; and
‘‘(ii) (in the case of a State in which
orders in such cases are issued by local ju-
risdictions) a case may be transferred be-
tween jurisdictions in the State without
need for any additional filing by the peti-
tioner, or service of process upon the re-
spondent, to retain jurisdiction over the
parties.’’.
(c) EXCEPTIONS
FROM
STATE
LAW
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Section 
466(d) 
(42 
U.S.C. 
666(d)) 
is
amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘(d) If’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(d) EXEMPTIONS FROM REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2),
if’’; and
117
(2) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(2) NONEXEMPT
REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall not grant an exemption from the re-
quirements of—
‘‘(A) subsection (a)(5) (concerning proce-
dures for paternity establishment);
‘‘(B) subsection (a)(10) (concerning modi-
fication of orders);
‘‘(C) subsection (a)(12) (concerning re-
cording of orders in the central State case reg-
istry);
‘‘(D) subsection (a)(13) (concerning re-
cording of Social Security numbers);
‘‘(E) subsection (a)(14) (concerning inter-
state enforcement); or
‘‘(F) subsection (c) (concerning expedited
procedures), other than paragraph (1)(A) there-
of (concerning establishment or modification of
support amount).’’.
(d) AUTOMATION OF STATE AGENCY FUNCTIONS.—
Section 454A, as added by section 115(a)(2) of this Act
and as amended by sections 121 and 122(c) of this Act,
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
118
‘‘(h) EXPEDITED ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.—
The automated system required under this section shall
be used, to the maximum extent feasible, to implement any
expedited administrative procedures required under sec-
tion 466(c).’’.
Subtitle E—Paternity
Establishment
SEC. 341. STATE LAWS CONCERNING PATERNITY ESTAB-
LISHMENT.
(a) STATE LAWS REQUIRED.—Section 466(a)(5) (42
U.S.C. 666(a)(5)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘(5)’’ and inserting the follow-
ing:
‘‘(5) PROCEDURES CONCERNING PATERNITY ES-
TABLISHMENT.—’’;
(2) in subparagraph (A)—
(A) by striking ‘‘(A)(i)’’ and inserting the
following:
‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT
PROCESS
AVAIL-
ABLE
FROM
BIRTH
UNTIL
AGE
EIGHTEEN.—
(i)’’; and
(B) by indenting clauses (i) and (ii) so
that the left margin of such clauses is 2 ems to
the right of the left margin of paragraph (4);
(3) in subparagraph (B)—
119
(A) by striking ‘‘(B)’’ and inserting the
following:
‘‘(B) PROCEDURES CONCERNING GENETIC
TESTING.—(i)’’;
(B) in clause (i), as redesignated, by in-
serting before the period ‘‘, where such request
is supported by a sworn statement (I) by such
party alleging paternity setting forth facts es-
tablishing a reasonable possibility of the req-
uisite sexual contact of the parties, or (II) by
such party denying paternity setting forth facts
establishing a reasonable possibility of the
nonexistence of sexual contact of the parties;’’;
(C) by inserting after and below clause (i)
(as redesignated) the following new clause:
‘‘(ii) Procedures which require the State
agency, in any case in which such agency orders
genetic testing—
‘‘(I) to pay costs of such tests, subject
to recoupment (where the State so elects)
from the punitive father if paternity is es-
tablished; and
‘‘(II) to obtain additional testing in
any case where an original test result is
120
disputed, upon request and advance pay-
ment by the disputing party.’’;
(4) by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and
inserting the following:
‘‘(C) PATERNITY ACKNOWLEDGMENT.—(i)
Procedures for a simple civil process for volun-
tarily acknowledging paternity under which the
State must provide that, before a mother and a
putative father can sign an acknowledgment of
paternity, the putative father and the mother
must be given notice, orally, in writing, and in
a language that each can understand, of the al-
ternatives to, the legal consequences of, and the
rights (including, if 1 parent is a minor, any
rights afforded due to minority status) and re-
sponsibilities that arise from, signing the ac-
knowledgment.
‘‘(ii) Such procedures must include a hos-
pital-based program for the voluntary acknowl-
edgment of paternity focusing on the period im-
mediately before or after the birth of a child.
‘‘(iii) Such procedures must require the
State agency responsible for maintaining birth
records to offer voluntary paternity establish-
ment services.
121
‘‘(iv) The Secretary shall prescribe regula-
tions governing voluntary paternity establish-
ment services offered by hospitals and birth
record agencies. The Secretary shall prescribe
regulations specifying the types of other entities
that may offer voluntary paternity establish-
ment services, and governing the provision of
such services, which shall include a requirement
that such an entity must use the same notice
provisions used by, the same materials used by,
provide the personnel providing such services
with the same training provided by, and evalu-
ate the provision of such services in the same
manner as, voluntary paternity establishment
programs of hospitals and birth record agen-
cies.
‘‘(v) Such procedures must require the
State and those required to establish paternity
to use only the affidavit developed under section
452(a)(7) for the voluntary acknowledgment of
paternity, and to give full faith and credit to
such an affidavit signed in any other State.
‘‘(D) STATUS
OF
SIGNED
PATERNITY
KNOWLEDGMENT.—(i) Procedures under which
a signed acknowledgment of paternity is consid-
122
ered a legal finding of paternity, subject to the
right of any signatory to rescind the acknowl-
edgment within 60 days.
‘‘(ii)(I) Procedures under which, after the
60-day period referred to in clause (i), a signed
acknowledgment of paternity may be challenged
in court only on the basis of fraud, duress, or
material mistake of fact, with the burden of
proof upon the challenger, and under which the
legal responsibilities (including child support
obligations) of any signatory arising from the
acknowledgment may not be suspended during
the challenge, except for good cause shown.
‘‘(II) Procedures under which, after the
60-day period referred to in clause (i), a minor
who signs an acknowledgment of paternity
other than in the presence of a parent or court-
appointed guardian ad litem may rescind the
acknowledgment in a judicial or administrative
proceeding, until the earlier of—
‘‘(aa) attaining the age of majority; or
‘‘(bb) the date of the first judicial or
administrative proceeding brought (after
the signing) to establish a child support
obligation, visitation rights, or custody
123
rights with respect to the child whose pa-
ternity is the subject of the acknowledg-
ment, and at which the minor is rep-
resented by a parent, guardian ad litem, or
attorney.’’;
(5) by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting
the following:
‘‘(E) BAR ON ACKNOWLEDGMENT RATIFI-
CATION
PROCEEDINGS.—Procedures 
under
which no judicial or administrative proceedings
are required or permitted to ratify an unchal-
lenged acknowledgment of paternity.’’;
(6) by striking subparagraph (F) and inserting
the following:
‘‘(F) ADMISSIBILITY OF GENETIC TESTING
RESULTS.—Procedures—
‘‘(i) requiring that the State admit
into evidence, for purposes of establishing
paternity, results of any genetic test that
is—
‘‘(I) of a type generally acknowl-
edged, by accreditation bodies des-
ignated by the Secretary, as reliable
evidence of paternity; and
124
‘‘(II) performed by a laboratory
approved by such an accreditation
body;
‘‘(ii) that any objection to genetic
testing results must be made in writing not
later than a specified number of days be-
fore any hearing at which such results may
be introduced into evidence (or, at State
option, not later than a specified number
of days after receipt of such results); and
‘‘(iii) that, if no objection is made, the
test results are admissible as evidence of
paternity without the need for foundation
testimony or other proof of authenticity or
accuracy.’’; and
(7) by adding after subparagraph (H) the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs:
‘‘(I) NO RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL.—Proce-
dures providing that the parties to an action to
establish paternity are not entitled to jury trial.
‘‘(J) TEMPORARY SUPPORT ORDER BASED
ON
PROBABLE
PATERNITY
IN
CONTESTED
CASES.—Procedures which require that a tem-
porary order be issued, upon motion by a party,
requiring the provision of child support pending
125
an administrative or judicial determination of
parentage, where there is clear and convincing
evidence of paternity (on the basis of genetic
tests or other evidence).
‘‘(K) PROOF OF CERTAIN SUPPORT AND
PATERNITY
ESTABLISHMENT
COSTS.—Proce-
dures under which bills for pregnancy, child-
birth, and genetic testing are admissible as evi-
dence without requiring third-party foundation
testimony, and shall constitute prima facie evi-
dence of amounts incurred for such services and
testing on behalf of the child.
‘‘(L) WAIVER OF STATE DEBTS FOR CO-
OPERATION.—At the option of the State, proce-
dures under which the tribunal establishing pa-
ternity and support has discretion to waive
rights to all or part of amounts owed to the
State (but not to the mother) for costs related
to pregnancy, childbirth, and genetic testing
and for public assistance paid to the family
where the father cooperates or acknowledges
paternity before or after genetic testing.
‘‘(M) STANDING OF PUTATIVE FATHERS.—
Procedures ensuring that the putative father
126
has a reasonable opportunity to initiate a pater-
nity action.’’.
(b) NATIONAL PATERNITY ACKNOWLEDGMENT AFFI-
DAVIT.—Section 452(a)(7) (42 U.S.C. 652(a)(7)) is
amended by inserting ‘‘, and develop an affidavit to be
used for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity which
shall include the social security account number of each
parent’’ before the semicolon.
(c) TECHNICAL
AMENDMENT.—Section 468 (42
U.S.C. 668) is amended by striking ‘‘a simple civil process
for voluntarily acknowledging paternity and’’.
SEC. 342. OUTREACH FOR VOLUNTARY PATERNITY ESTAB-
LISHMENT.
(a) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENT.—Section 454(23)
(42 U.S.C. 654(23)) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subparagraph:
‘‘(C) publicize the availability and encour-
age the use of procedures for voluntary estab-
lishment of paternity and child support through
a variety of means, which—
‘‘(i) include distribution of written
materials as health care facilities (includ-
ing hospitals and clinics), and other loca-
tions such as schools;
127
‘‘(ii) may include pre-natal programs
to educate expectant couples on individual
and joint rights and responsibilities with
respect to paternity (and may require all
expectant recipients of assistance under
part A to participate in such pre-natal pro-
grams, as an element of cooperation with
efforts to establish paternity and child sup-
port);
‘‘(iii) include, with respect to each
child discharged from a hospital after birth
for whom paternity or child support has
not been established, reasonable follow-up
efforts (including at least one contact of
each parent whose whereabouts are known,
except where there is reason to believe
such follow-up efforts would put mother or
child at risk), providing—
‘‘(I) in the case of a child for
whom paternity has not been estab-
lished, information on the benefits of
and procedures for establishing pater-
nity; and
‘‘(II) in the case of a child for
whom paternity has been established
128
but child support has not been estab-
lished, information on the benefits of
and procedures for establishing a
child support order, and an applica-
tion for child support services;’’.
(b) 
ENHANCED
FEDERAL
MATCHING.—Section
455(a)(1)(C) (42 U.S.C. 655(a)(1)(C)) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(i)’’ before ‘‘laboratory costs’’,
and
(2) by inserting before the semicolon ‘‘, and (ii)
costs of outreach programs designed to encourage
voluntary acknowledgment of paternity’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATES.—(1) The amendments made
by subsection (a) shall become effective October 1, 1997.
(2) The amendments made by subsection (b) shall be
effective with respect to calendar quarters beginning on
and after October 1, 1996.
Subtitle F—Establishment and
Modification of Support Orders
SEC. 351. NATIONAL CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES COMMIS-
SION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established a
commission to be known as the ‘‘National Child Support
Guidelines Commission’’ (in this section referred to as the
‘‘Commission’’).
129
(b) GENERAL DUTIES.—The Commission shall de-
velop a national child support guideline for consideration
by the Congress that is based on a study of various guide-
line models, the benefits and deficiencies of such models,
and any needed improvements.
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) NUMBER; APPOINTMENT.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall
be composed of 12 individuals appointed jointly
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
and the Congress, not later than January 15,
1997, of which—
(i) 2 shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Finance of the
Senate, and 1 shall be appointed by the
ranking minority member of the Commit-
tee;
(ii) 2 shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Ways and Means
of the House of Representatives, and 1
shall be appointed by the ranking minority
member of the Committee; and
(iii) 6 shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services.
130
(B) 
QUALIFICATIONS
OF
MEMBERS.—
Members of the Commission shall have exper-
tise and experience in the evaluation and devel-
opment of child support guidelines. At least 1
member shall represent advocacy groups for
custodial parents, at least 1 member shall rep-
resent advocacy groups for noncustodial par-
ents, and at least 1 member shall be the direc-
tor of a State program under part D of title IV
of the Social Security Act.
(2) TERMS OF OFFICE.—Each member shall be
appointed for a term of 2 years. A vacancy in the
Commission shall be filed in the manner in which
the original appointment was made.
(d) COMMISSION POWERS, COMPENSATION, ACCESS
TO INFORMATION, AND SUPERVISION.—The first sentence
of subparagraph (C), the first and third sentences of sub-
paragraph (D), subparagraph (F) (except with respect to
the conduct of medical studies), clauses (ii) and (iii) of
subparagraph (G), and subparagraph (H) of section
1886(e)(6) of the Social Security Act shall apply to the
Commission in the same manner in which such provisions
apply to the Prospective Payment Assessment Commis-
sion.
131
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the ap-
pointment of members, the Commission shall submit to
the President, the Committee on Ways and Means of the
House of Representatives, and the Committee on Finance
of the Senate, a recommended national child support
guideline and a final assessment of issues relating to such
a proposed national child support guideline.
(f) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate
6 months after the submission of the report described in
subsection (e).
SEC. 352. SIMPLIFIED PROCESS FOR REVIEW AND ADJUST-
MENT OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 466(a)(10) (42 U.S.C.
666(a)(10)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(10) PROCEDURES
FOR
MODIFICATION
OF
SUPPORT ORDERS.—
‘‘(A)(i) Procedures under which—
‘‘(I) every 3 years, at the request of
either parent subject to a child support
order, the State shall review and, as appro-
priate, adjust the order in accordance with
the guidelines established under section
467(a) if the amount of the child support
award under the order differs from the
amount that would be awarded in accord-
132
ance with such guidelines, without a re-
quirement for any other change in cir-
cumstances; and
‘‘(II) upon request at any time of ei-
ther parent subject to a child support
order, the State shall review and, as appro-
priate, adjust the order in accordance with
the guidelines established under section
467(a) based on a substantial change in
the circumstances of either such parent.
‘‘(ii) Such procedures shall require both
parents subject to a child support order to be
notified of their rights and responsibilities pro-
vided for under clause (i) at the time the order
is issued and in the annual information ex-
change form provided under subparagraph (B).
‘‘(B) Procedures under which each child
support order issued or modified in the State
after the effective date of this subparagraph
shall require the parents subject to the order to
provide each other with a complete statement of
their respective financial condition annually on
a form which shall be established by the Sec-
retary and provided by the State. The Secretary
133
shall establish regulations for the enforcement
of such exchange of information.’’.
Subtitle G—Enforcement of
Support Orders
SEC. 361. FEDERAL INCOME TAX REFUND OFFSET.
(a) CHANGED ORDER OF REFUND DISTRIBUTION
UNDER INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.—Section 6402(c) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘The amount’’ and inserting
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘paid to the State. A reduction’’
and inserting ‘‘paid to the State.
‘‘(2) PRIORITIES FOR OFFSET.—A reduction’’;
(3) by striking ‘‘has been assigned’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘has not been assigned’’, and
(4) by striking ‘‘and shall be applied’’ and all
that follows and inserting ‘‘and shall thereafter be
applied to satisfy any past-due support that has
been so assigned.’’.
(b) ELIMINATION OF DISPARITIES IN TREATMENT
OF ASSIGNED
AND NON-ASSIGNED ARREARAGES.—(1)
Section 464(a) (42 U.S.C. 664(a)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) OFF-
SET AUTHORIZED.—’’;
(B) in paragraph (1)—
134
(i) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘which
has been assigned to such State pursuant to
section 402(a)(26) or section 471(a)(17)’’; and
(ii) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘in
accordance with section 457 (b)(4) or (d)(3)’’
and inserting ‘‘as provided in paragraph (2)’’;
(C) in paragraph (2), to read as follows:
‘‘(2) The State agency shall distribute amounts
paid by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to
paragraph (1)—
‘‘(A) in accordance with section 457 (a)(4)
or (d)(3), in the case of past-due support as-
signed 
to 
a 
State 
pursuant 
to 
section
402(a)(26) or section 471(a)(17); and
‘‘(B) to or on behalf of the child to whom
the support was owed, in the case of past-due
support not so assigned.’’;
(D) in paragraph (3)—
(i) by striking ‘‘or (2)’’ each place it ap-
pears; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking
‘‘under paragraph (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘on ac-
count of past-due support described in para-
graph (2)(B)’’.
135
(2) Section 464(b) (42 U.S.C. 664(b)) is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘(b)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘(b)
REGULATIONS.—’’; and
(B) by striking paragraph (2).
(3) Section 464(c) (42 U.S.C. 664(c)) is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘(c)(1) Except as provided
in paragraph (2), as’’ and inserting ‘‘(c) DEFI-
NITION.—As’’; and
(B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3).
(c) TREATMENT
OF
LUMP-SUM
TAX
REFUND
UNDER AFDC.—
(1) EXEMPTION FROM LUMP-SUM RULE.—Sec-
tion 402(a)(17) (42 U.S.C. 602(a)(17)) is amended
by adding at the end the following: ‘‘but this para-
graph shall not apply to income received by a family
that is attributable to a child support obligation
owed with respect to a member of the family and
that is paid to the family from amounts withheld
from a Federal income tax refund otherwise payable
to the person owing such obligation, to the extent
that such income is placed in a qualified asset ac-
count (as defined in section 406(j)) the total
136
amounts in which, after such placement, does not
exceed $10,000;’’.
(2) QUALIFIED
ASSET
ACCOUNT
DEFINED.—
Section 406 (42 U.S.C. 606), as amended by section
302(g)(2) of this Act, is amended by adding at the
end the following:
‘‘(j)(1) The term ‘qualified asset account’ means a
mechanism approved by the State (such as individual re-
tirement accounts, escrow accounts, or savings bonds) that
allows savings of a family receiving aid to families with
dependent children to be used for qualified distributions.
‘‘(2) The term ‘qualified distribution’ means a dis-
tribution from a qualified asset account for expenses di-
rectly related to 1 or more of the following purposes:
‘‘(A) The attendance of a member of the family
at any education or training program.
‘‘(B) The improvement of the employability (in-
cluding self-employment) of a member of the family
(such as through the purchase of an automobile).
‘‘(C) The purchase of a home for the family.
‘‘(D) A change of the family residence.’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall become effective October 1, 1999.
137
SEC. 362. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE COLLECTION OF
ARREARS.
(a) AMENDMENT TO INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.—
Section 6305(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘except as
provided in paragraph (5)’’ after ‘‘collected’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(3);
(3) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (4) and inserting a comma;
(4) by adding after paragraph (4) the following
new paragraph:
‘‘(5) no additional fee may be assessed for ad-
justments to an amount previously certified pursu-
ant to such section 452(b) with respect to the same
obligor.’’; and
(5) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health, Edu-
cation, and Welfare’’ each place it appears and in-
serting ‘‘Secretary of Health and Human Services’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall become effective October 1, 1997.
SEC. 363. AUTHORITY TO COLLECT SUPPORT FROM FED-
ERAL EMPLOYEES.
(a) CONSOLIDATION
AND STREAMLINING
OF AU-
THORITIES.—
138
(1) Section 459 (42 U.S.C. 659) is amended in
the caption by inserting ‘‘INCOME WITHHOLDING,’’
before ‘‘GARNISHMENT’’.
(2) Section 459(a) (42 U.S.C. 659(a)) is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a)
CONSENT TO SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.—
(B) by striking ‘‘section 207’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘section 207 of this Act and 38 U.S.C.
5301’’; and
(C) by striking all that follows ‘‘a private
person,’’ and inserting ‘‘to withholding in ac-
cordance with State law pursuant to subsections
(a)(1) and (b) of section 466 and regulations of
the Secretary thereunder, and to any other legal
process brought, by a State agency administer-
ing a program under this part or by an individ-
ual obligee, to enforce the legal obligation of
such individual to provide child support or ali-
mony.’’.
(3) Section 459(b) (42 U.S.C. 659(b)) is
amended to read as follows:
‘‘(b) CONSENT TO REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO
PRIVATE PERSON.—Except as otherwise provided herein,
each entity specified in subsection (a) shall be subject,
139
with respect to notice to withhold income pursuant to sub-
section (a)(1) or (b) of section 466, or to any other order
or process to enforce support obligations against an indi-
vidual (if such order or process contains or is accompanied
by sufficient data to permit prompt identification of the
individual and the moneys involved), to the same require-
ments as would apply if such entity were a private per-
son.’’.
(4) Section 459(c) (42 U.S.C. 659(c)) is redes-
ignated and relocated as paragraph (2) of subsection
(f), and is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘responding to interrog-
atories pursuant to requirements imposed by
section 461(b)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘taking ac-
tions necessary to comply with the requirements
of subsection (A) with regard to any individ-
ual’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘any of his duties’’ and all
that follows and inserting ‘‘such duties.’’.
(5) Section 461 (42 U.S.C. 661) is amended by
striking subsection (b), and section 459 (42 U.S.C.
659) is amended by inserting after subsection (b)
(as added by paragraph (3) of this subsection) the
following:
140
‘‘(c) DESIGNATION OF AGENT; RESPONSE TO NOTICE
OR PROCESS.—(1) The head of each agency subject to the
requirements of this section shall—
‘‘(A) designate an agent or agents to receive or-
ders and accept service of process; and
‘‘(B) publish (i) in the appendix of such regula-
tions, (ii) in each subsequent republication of such
regulations, and (iii) annually in the Federal Reg-
ister, the designation of such agent or agents, identi-
fied by title of position, mailing address, and tele-
phone number.’’.
(6) Section 459 (42 U.S.C. 659) is amended by
striking subsection (d) and by inserting after sub-
section (c)(1) (as added by paragraph (5) of this
subsection) the following:
‘‘(2) Whenever an agent designated pursuant to para-
graph (1) receives notice pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or
(b) of section 466, or is effectively served with any order,
process, or interrogatories, with respect to an individual’s
child support or alimony payment obligations, such agent
shall—
‘‘(A) as soon as possible (but not later than fif-
teen days) thereafter, send written notice of such no-
tice or service (together with a copy thereof) to such
141
individual at his duty station or last-known home
address;
‘‘(B) within 30 days (or such longer period as
may be prescribed by applicable State law) after re-
ceipt of a notice pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b)
of section 466, comply with all applicable provisions
of such section 466; and
‘‘(C) within 30 days (or such longer period as
may be prescribed by applicable State law) after ef-
fective service of any other such order, process, or
interrogatories, respond thereto.’’.
(7) Section 461 (42 U.S.C. 661) is amended by
striking subsection (c), and section 459 (42 U.S.C.
659) is amended by inserting after subsection (c) (as
added by paragraph (5) and amended by paragraph
(6) of this subsection) the following:
‘‘(d) PRIORITY OF CLAIMS.—In the event that a gov-
ernmental entity receives notice or is served with process,
as provided in this section, concerning amounts owed by
an individual to more than one person—
‘‘(1) support collection under section 466(b)
must be given priority over any other process, as
provided in section 466(b)(7);
‘‘(2) allocation of moneys due or payable to an
individual among claimants under section 466(b)
142
shall be governed by the provisions of such section
466(b) and regulations thereunder; and
‘‘(3) such moneys as remain after compliance
with subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be available to
satisfy any other such processes on a first-come,
first-served basis, with any such process being satis-
fied out of such moneys as remain after the satisfac-
tion of all such processes which have been previously
served.’’.
(8) Section 459(e) (42 U.S.C. 659(e)) is
amended by striking ‘‘(e)’’ and inserting the follow-
ing:
‘‘(e) NO REQUIREMENT TO VARY PAY CYCLES.—’’.
(9) Section 459(f) (42 U.S.C. 659(f)) is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘(f)’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(f) RELIEF FROM LIABILITY.—(1)’’.
(10) Section 461(a) (42 U.S.C. 661(a)) is re-
designated and relocated as section 459(g), and is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘(g)’’ and inserting the follow-
ing:
‘‘(g) REGULATIONS.—’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘section 459’’ and inserting
‘‘this section’’.
143
(11) Section 462 (42 U.S.C. 662) is amended
by striking subsection (f), and section 459 (42
U.S.C. 659) is amended by inserting the following
after subsection (g) (as added by paragraph (10) of
this subsection):
‘‘(h) MONEYS SUBJECT TO PROCESS.—(1) Subject to
subsection (i), moneys paid or payable to an individual
which are considered to be based upon remuneration for
employment, for purposes of this section—
‘‘(A) consist of—
‘‘(i) compensation paid or payable for per-
sonal services of such individual, whether such
compensation is denominated as wages, salary,
commission, bonus, pay, allowances, or other-
wise (including severance pay, sick pay, and in-
centive pay);
‘‘(ii) periodic benefits (including a periodic
benefit as defined in section 228(h)(3)) or other
payments—
‘‘(I) under the insurance system es-
tablished by title II;
‘‘(II) under any other system or fund
established by the United States which
provides for the payment of pensions, re-
tirement or retired pay, annuities, depend-
144
ents’ or survivors’ benefits, or similar
amounts payable on account of personal
services performed by the individual or any
other individual;
‘‘(III) as compensation for death
under any Federal program;
‘‘(IV) under any Federal program es-
tablished to provide ‘black lung’ benefits;
or
‘‘(V) by the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs as pension, or as compensation for a
service-connected disability or death (ex-
cept any compensation paid by such Sec-
retary to a former member of the Armed
Forces who is in receipt of retired or re-
tainer pay if such former member has
waived a portion of his retired pay in order
to receive such compensation); and
‘‘(iii) worker’s compensation benefits paid
under Federal or State law; but
‘‘(B) do not include any payment—
‘‘(i) by way of reimbursement or otherwise,
to defray expenses incurred by such individual
in carrying out duties associated with his em-
ployment; or
145
‘‘(ii) as allowances for members of the uni-
formed services payable pursuant to chapter 7
of title 37, United States Code, as prescribed
by the Secretaries concerned (defined by section
101(5) of such title) as necessary for the effi-
cient performance of duty.’’.
(12) Section 462(g) (42 U.S.C. 662(g)) is re-
designated and relocated as section 459(i) (42
U.S.C. 659(i)).
(13)(A) Section 462 (42 U.S.C. 662) is
amended—
(i) in subsection (e)(1), by redesignating
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as clauses (i),
(ii), and (iii); and
(ii) in subsection (e), by redesignating
paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A)
and (B).
(B) Section 459 (42 U.S.C. 659) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
‘‘(j) 
DEFINITIONS.—For 
purposes 
of 
this
section—’’.
(C) Subsections (a) through (e) of section 462
(42 U.S.C. 662), as amended by subparagraph (A)
of this paragraph, are relocated and redesignated as
paragraphs (1) through (4), respectively of section
146
459(j) (as added by subparagraph (B) of this para-
graph, (42 U.S.C. 659(j)), and the left margin of
each of such paragraphs (1) through (4) is indented
2 ems to the right of the left margin of subsection
(i) (as added by paragraph (12) of this subsection).
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) TO PART D OF TITLE IV.—Sections 461 and
462 (42 U.S.C. 661), as amended by subsection (a)
of this section, are repealed.
(2) TO TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE.—Sec-
tion 5520a of title 5, United States Code, is amend-
ed, in subsections (h)(2) and (i), by striking ‘‘sec-
tions 459, 461, and 462 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 659, 661, and 662)’’ and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 459 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
659)’’.
(c) MILITARY RETIRED AND RETAINER PAY.—(1)
DEFINITION OF COURT.—Section 1408(a)(1) of title 10,
United States Code, is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (B);
(B) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (C) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding after subparagraph (C) the fol-
lowing new paragraph:
147
‘‘(D) any administrative or judicial tribunal of
a State competent to enter orders for support or
maintenance (including a State agency administering
a State program under part D of title IV of the So-
cial Security Act).’’;
(2) 
DEFINITION
OF
COURT
ORDER.—Section
1408(a)(2) of such title is amended by inserting ‘‘or a
court order for the payment of child support not included
in or accompanied by such a decree of settlement,’’ before
‘‘which—’’.
(3) PUBLIC PAYEE.—Section 1408(d) of such title is
amended—
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘to spouse’’ and
inserting ‘‘to (or for benefit of)’’; and
(B) in paragraph (1), in the first sentence, by
inserting ‘‘(or for the benefit of such spouse or
former spouse to a State central collections unit or
other public payee designated by a State, in accord-
ance with part D of title IV of the Social Security
Act, as directed by court order, or as otherwise di-
rected in accordance with such part D)’’ before ‘‘in
an amount sufficient’’.
(4) RELATIONSHIP TO PART D OF TITLE IV.—Sec-
tion 1408 of such title is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
148
‘‘(j) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—In any case
involving a child support order against a member who has
never been married to the other parent of the child, the
provisions of this section shall not apply, and the case
shall be subject to the provisions of section 459 of the
Social Security Act.’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall become effective 6 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 364. ENFORCEMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGA-
TIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) AVAILABILITY OF LOCATOR INFORMATION.—
(1) MAINTENANCE
OF
ADDRESS
INFORMA-
TION.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish a
centralized personnel locator service that includes
the address of each member of the Armed Forces
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary. Upon re-
quest of the Secretary of Transportation, addresses
for members of the Coast Guard shall be included in
the centralized personnel locator service.
(2) TYPE OF ADDRESS.—
(A) RESIDENTIAL
ADDRESS.—Except as
provided in subparagraph (B), the address for
a member of the Armed Forces shown in the lo-
149
cator service shall be the residential address of
that member.
(B) DUTY ADDRESS.—The address for a
member of the Armed Forces shown in the loca-
tor service shall be the duty address of that
member in the case of a member—
(i) who is permanently assigned overseas,
to a vessel, or to a routinely deployable unit; or
(ii) with respect to whom the Secretary
concerned makes a determination that the
member’s residential address should not be dis-
closed due to national security or safety con-
cerns.
(3) UPDATING
OF
LOCATOR
INFORMATION.—
Within 30 days after a member listed in the locator
service establishes a new residential address (or a
new duty address, in the case of a member covered
by paragraph (2)(B)), the Secretary concerned shall
update the locator service to indicate the new ad-
dress of the member.
(4) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall make information regarding
the address of a member of the Armed Forces listed
in the locator service available, on request, to the
Federal Parent Locator Service.
150
(b) FACILITATING GRANTING OF LEAVE FOR AT-
TENDANCE AT HEARINGS.—
(1) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of each
military department, and the Secretary of Transpor-
tation with respect to the Coast Guard when it is
not operating as a service in the Navy, shall pre-
scribe regulations to facilitate the granting of leave
to a member of the Armed Forces under the juris-
diction of that Secretary in a case in which—
(A) the leave is needed for the member to
attend a hearing described in paragraph (2);
(B) the member is not serving in or with
a unit deployed in a contingency operation (as
defined in section 101 of title 10, United States
Code); and
(C) the exigencies of military service (as
determined by the Secretary concerned) do not
otherwise require that such leave not be granted
(2) COVERED HEARINGS.—Paragraph (1) ap-
plies to a hearing that is conducted by a court or
pursuant to an administrative process established
under State law, in connection with a civil action—
(A) to determine whether a member of the
Armed Forces is a natural parent of a child; or
151
(B) to determine an obligation of a mem-
ber of the Armed Forces to provide child sup-
port.
(3) DEFINITIONS.—for purposes of this sub-
section;
(A) The term ‘‘court’’ has the meaning
given that term in section 1408(a) of title 10,
United States Code.
(B) The term ‘‘child support’’ has the
meaning given such term in section 462 of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 662).
(c) PAYMENT OF MILITARY RETIRED PAY IN COM-
PLIANCE WITH CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS.—
(1) DATE
OF
CERTIFICATION
OF
COURT
ORDER.—Section 1408 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended—
(A) by redesignating subsection (i) as sub-
section (j); and
(B) by inserting after subsection (h) the
following new subsection (i):
‘‘(i) CERTIFICATION DATE.—It is not necessary that
the date of a certification of the authenticity or complete-
ness of a copy of a court order or an order of an adminis-
trative process established under State law for child sup-
port received by the Secretary concerned for the purposes
152
of this section be recent in relation to the date of receipt
by the Secretary.’’.
(2) PAYMENTS
CONSISTENT
WITH
ASSIGN-
MENTS OF RIGHTS TO STATES.—Section 1408(d)(1)
of such title is amended by inserting after the first
sentence the following: ‘‘In the case of a spouse or
former spouse who, pursuant to section 402(a)(26)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 602(26)), as-
signs to a State the rights of the spouse or former
spouse to receive support, the Secretary concerned
may make the child support payments referred to in
the preceding sentence to that State in amounts con-
sistent with that assignment of rights.’’.
(3) ARREARAGES OWED BY MEMBERS OF THE
UNIFORMED
SERVICES.—Section 1408(d) of such
title is amended by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
‘‘(6) In the case of a court order or an order of an
administrative process established under State law for
which effective service is made on the Secretary concerned
on or after the date of the enactment of this paragraph
and which provides for payments from the disposable re-
tired pay of a member to satisfy the amount of child sup-
port set forth in the order, the authority provided in para-
graph (1) to make payments from the disposable retired
153
pay of a member to satisy the amount of child support
set forth in a court or an order of an administrative proc-
ess established under State law shall apply to payment of
any amount of child support arrearages set forth in that
order as well as to amounts of child support that currently
become due.’’.
SEC. 365. MOTOR VEHICLE LIENS.
Section 466(a)(4) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(4)) is amend-
ed—
(1) by striking ‘‘(4) Procedures’’ and inserting
the following:
‘‘(4) LIENS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Procedures’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(B) MOTOR VEHICLE LIENS.—Procedures
for placing liens for arrears of child support on
motor vehicle titles of individuals owing such
arrears equal to or exceeding two months of
support, under which—
‘‘(i) any person owed such arrears
may place such a lien;
‘‘(ii) the State agency administering
the program under this part, shall system-
atically place such liens;
154
‘‘(iii) expedited methods are provided
for—
‘‘(I) ascertaining the amount of
arrears;
‘‘(II) affording the person owing
the arrears or other titleholder to con-
test the amount of arrears or to ob-
tain a release upon fulfilling the sup-
port obligation;
‘‘(iv) such a lien has precedence over
all other encumbrances on a vehicle title
other than a purchase money security in-
terest; and
‘‘(v) the individual or State agency
owed the arrears may execute on, seize,
and sell the property in accordance with
State law.’’.
SEC. 366. VOIDING OF FRAUDULENT TRANSFERS.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by
sections 301(a), 328(a), and 331 of this Act, is amended
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(15) FRAUDULENT
TRANSFERS.—Procedures
under which—
‘‘(A) the State has in effect—
155
‘‘(i) the Uniform Fraudulent Convey-
ance Act of 1981,
‘‘(ii) the Uniform Fraudulent Trans-
fer Act of 1984, or
‘‘(iii) another law, specifying indicia of
fraud which create a prima facie case that
a debtor transferred income or property to
avoid payment to a child support creditor,
which the Secretary finds affords com-
parable rights to child support creditors;
and
‘‘(B) in any case in which the State knows
of a transfer by a child support debtor with re-
spect to which such a prima facie case is estab-
lished, the State must—
‘‘(i) seek to void such transfer; or
‘‘(ii) obtain a settlement in the best
interests of the child support creditor.’’.
SEC. 367. STATE LAW AUTHORIZING SUSPENSION OF LI-
CENSES.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by
sections 301(a), 328(a), 331, and 166 of this Act, is
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
168
port and parentage court orders; and for other pur-
poses.’’.
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