IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 241 
Expressing the support for the enacting of joint custody laws for fit parents, 
so that more children are raised with the benefits of having a father 
and a mother in their lives. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 25, 2007 
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland (for himself and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) submitted 
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the support for the enacting of joint custody 
laws for fit parents, so that more children are raised 
with the benefits of having a father and a mother in 
their lives. 
Whereas, in approximately 84 percent of the cases where a 
parent is absent, that parent is the father; 
Whereas if current trends continue, half of all children born 
today will live apart from one of their parents, usually 
their father, at some point before they turn 18 years old; 
Whereas when families (whether intact or with a parent ab-
sent) are living in poverty, a significant factor is the fa-
ther’s lack of job skills; 
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•HCON 241 IH 
Whereas committed and responsible fathering during infancy 
and early childhood contributes to the development of 
emotional security, curiosity, and math and verbal skills; 
Whereas an estimated 19,400,000 children (27 percent) live 
apart from their biological fathers; 
Whereas 40 percent of the children under age 18 not living 
with their biological fathers had not seen their fathers 
even once in the past 12 months, according to national 
survey data; 
Whereas single parents are to be commended for the tremen-
dous job that they do with their children; 
Whereas the United States needs to encourage responsible 
parenting, by both fathers and mothers whenever pos-
sible; 
Whereas the United States needs to encourage both parents 
(and extended families) to be actively involved in chil-
dren’s lives; 
Whereas a way to do that is to encourage joint custody so 
that parents share children; 
Whereas the American Bar Association found in 1997 that 
19 States plus the District of Columbia had some form 
of presumption for joint custody, either legal, physical, or 
both, and since then, 13 additional States have added 
some form of presumption, bringing the current total to 
32 States plus the District of Columbia; 
Whereas Census Bureau data shows a correlation between 
joint custody and a higher payment of financial child 
support; 
Whereas social science literature shows that children are gen-
erally well adjusted in an intact family with 2 parents in 
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•HCON 241 IH 
the home, and research also shows that for children of di-
vorced, separated, and never-married parents, joint cus-
tody is strongly associated with positive outcomes for 
children on important measures of adjustment and well- 
being; 
Whereas research by the Department of Health and Human 
Services shows that the States with the highest amount 
of joint custody subsequently had the lowest divorce rate; 
and 
Whereas parents with joint custody pay 50 percent more in 
child support than parents with visitation only or no con-
tact with the child: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress expresses support of the 
States passing joint custody laws for fit parents, so that 
more children are raised with the benefit of having a fa-
ther and a mother in their lives, careful to protect victims 
of domestic violence, abuse, neglect, children from poten-
tial kidnapping by a parent. 
Æ 
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