The "Ensuring Children Receive Support Act" aims to amend the revocation of passports issued to individuals with child support arrearage exceeding $2,500. The bill proposes to adjust the procedures for revoking passports and introduces an exception for individuals abroad needing to return to the United States on an emergency basis. The Department of State would be authorized to issue temporary passports for this specific purpose, allowing the individual to return home under certain limitations.
Ensuring Children Receive Support Act
This bill specifies that the Department of State must revoke passports for certain individuals who fail to make child support payments.
Under current law, if the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Department of Health and Human Services receives information from a state that an individual owes more than $2,500 in child support, the State Department must refuse to issue the individual a passport and may revoke a previously issued passport. The bill specifies that the State Department must revoke a previously issued passport in these circumstances.
The bill also provides statutory authority for the State Department to allow such an individual to be issued a limited-duration passport for direct return to the United States.
For more information about this bill, see CRS Insight IN12660.