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ABBOTT SAYS FINAL BILL DISASTER FOR CHILD SUPPORT By Will Lutz

by DallasBlog.com

Thu, Dec 22, 2005, 12:29 AM

Attorney General Greg AbbottTexas Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott issued a news release today blasting the child support provisions in a recent deficit reduction bill that passed the U.S. Senate today. The measure passed 51-50, with Vice President Dick Cheney breaking the tie.

“I am deeply concerned about the harm that this legislation will cause children in Texas and across the nation,” Abbott said. “Provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act will make it much harder for my office to help a million Texas children who need child support to furnish the basic necessities of life. Texas has one of the most successful child support programs in the nation, yet this bill punishes states that have performed well. How unfortunate that when a government program proves to be successful, it is victimized by its very success.
“The child support we collect helps these single moms and dads feed their children, put clothes on their backs and a roof over their heads,” Abbott added. “Without it, many would slip into poverty, forcing them to turn to public assistance.”

Abbott is particularly concerned about provisions that prohibit the state from using federal incentive payments as a match to draw down additional federal aid. He said this will hit Texas especially hard because of the state’s record collecting child support. Abbott estimated the provision would cost the state $200 million and could result in $2 billion in child support could go uncollected as a result of the changes over the next four years.

The child support division of the Attorney General’s office used to be the legislature’s running headache. Under former Atty. Gen. Dan Morales, the state risked becoming out of compliance with federal welfare reform laws. Legislative offices had significant constituent casework on the issue. But former Atty. Gen, now U.S. Sen. John Cornyn made fixing child support a priority, and since then child support has not landed on the legislature’s radar screen.

The federal bill also includes $2 billion in funding for Hurricane Katrina Victims, including 100 percent funding of the uncompensated health care fund.

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