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The 98th Congress enacted amendments designed to strengthen the 9-year-old child support enforcement programs, a program that is administered by State child support enforcement agencies under the general direction of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement. In many States the program has been primarily serving families who were receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children. The new amendments reflect an effort to refocus the program to serve a broader clientele, and speak specifically in terms of serving all children in the United States who are in need of assistance in securing financial support from their parents, regardless of their circumstances. In addition, the amendments require the States to use stringent enforcement tools, including mandatory wage withholding, in cases involving arrearages. Although there is an atmosphere of widespread support for the amendments, there is also recognition that implementation may raise issues for future Congresses. (This paper originally appeared as an article in the October 1984 issue of CRS in Review.)
