Excerpt of a White House Fact Sheet on the Child Support Enforcement Initiative -- Project KIDS

The President announced today a new comprehensive child support enforcement strategy to ensure that absent parents pay child support, no matter where they live. The President's initiative, Project KIDS (Keep Irresponsible Dads Supportive), will:

Require wage withholding for absent parents. Universal employer income withholding would be required, and payroll withholding would follow absent parents from job to job. The tax withholding forms would be updated to include information on child support responsibilities.

Overdue child support will become tax liabilities. Delinquent absent parents would face stiff penalties, and delinquent payments would be treated as tax liabilities collectible by State tax authorities and the Internal Revenue Service. Payments collected would be paid to custodial parents.

Recognize all child support orders in all States. Require all States to recognize and enforce child support orders established in other States. Place jurisdiction for child support disputes in one State.

Interstate nonpayment of child support as a Federal crime. Parents who fail to meet major interstate child support obligations, or who leave the State to evade those obligations, could face imprisonment.

Cover health services in child support orders. Absent parents would be required to cover children under their employer's health plan when coverage is available at reasonable cost.

Restrict access to Federal benefits for nonpaying parents. Any parent who is delinquent in child support payments would need a payment or deferral plan before qualifying for any new Federal benefits. Existing benefits will be garnished in the amount of the award and sent directly to the custodial parent.

Keep up with absent parents. Custodial parents will get better access to existing records to track down absent parents, and new information will be kept to track down "deadbeat dads" when they change jobs.

No payment/no passport. Deadbeat parents could not qualify for a passport, and existing passports could be withdrawn.

No payment/no professional license. Deadbeat parents could not have State or Federal professional licenses issued or renewed.

No payment/no Federal loans or loan guarantees. If deadbeat parents have not met obligations or do not have a plan to do so, they could not qualify for FHA home loans, guaranteed student loans, or any other Federal loan guarantee.

Report all delinquent parents to credit bureaus. Deadbeat parents will risk losing access to private credit.

Better legal services for custodial parents. Any legal services organization receiving funds from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) must use at least 10 percent of its LSC funding to help eligible custodial parents obtain child support.

Make the Federal Government a model employer. Require up-to-date employer records and immediate payroll withholding.