§651. Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of enforcing the support obligations owed by noncustodial parents to their children and the spouse (or former spouse) with whom such children are living, locating noncustodial parents, establishing paternity, obtaining child and spousal support, and assuring that assistance in obtaining support will be available under this part to all children (whether or not eligible for assistance under a State program funded under part A) for whom such assistance is requested, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year a sum sufficient to carry out the purposes of this part.

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §451, as added Pub. L. 93–647, §101(a), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2351 ; amended Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, §2332(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 861 ; Pub. L. 98–378, §2, Aug. 16, 1984, 98 Stat. 1305 ; Pub. L. 104–193, title I, §108(c)(1), title III, §395(d)(1)(A), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2165 , 2259.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996-Pub. L. 104–193, §395(d)(1)(A), substituted "noncustodial" for "absent" in two places.

Pub. L. 104–193, §108(c)(1), substituted "assistance under a State program funded under part A" for "aid under part A".

1984-Pub. L. 98–378 substituted "obtaining child and spousal support, and assuring that assistance in obtaining support will be available under this part to all children (whether or not eligible for aid under part A) for whom such assistance is requested," for "and obtaining child and spousal support,".

1981-Pub. L. 97–35 substituted "children and the spouse (or former spouse) with whom such children are living" for "children" and "child and spousal support" for "child support".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by section 108(c)(1) of Pub. L. 104–193 effective July 1, 1997, with transition rules relating to State options to accelerate such date, rules relating to claims, actions, and proceedings commenced before such date, rules relating to closing out of accounts for terminated or substantially modified programs and continuance in office of Assistant Secretary for Family Support, and provisions relating to termination of entitlement under AFDC program, see section 116 of Pub. L. 104–193, as amended, set out as an Effective Date note under section 601 of this title.

For effective date of amendment by section 395(d)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 104–193, see section 395(a)–(c) of Pub. L. 104–193, set out as a note under section 654 of this title.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, §2336, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 864 , provided that:

"(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in the preceding sections of this chapter [sections 2331–2335 of Pub. L. 97–35] or in subsection (b), the provisions of this chapter and the amendments and repeals made by this chapter [amending this section, sections 652, 653, 654, 657, and 664 of this title, and sections 6305 and 6402 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code] shall become effective on October 1, 1981.

"(b) If a State agency administering a plan approved under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.] demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, that it cannot, by reason of State law, comply with the requirements of an amendment made by this chapter to which the effective date specified in subsection (a) applies, the Secretary may prescribe that, in the case of such State, the amendment will become effective beginning with the first month beginning after the close of the first session of such State's legislature ending on or after October 1, 1981. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term 'session of a State's legislature' includes any regular, special, budget, or other session of a State legislature."

Effective Date

Pub. L. 93–647, §101(f), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2361 , as amended by Pub. L. 94–46, §2, June 30, 1975, 89 Stat. 245 , provided that: "The amendments made by this section [enacting this part and section 6305 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, amending sections 602, 603, 604, 606, and 1306 of this title, repealing section 610 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 602 of this title] shall become effective on August 1, 1975, except that section 459 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 659], as added by subsection (a) of this section shall become effective on January 1, 1975, and subsection (e) of this section [enacting provisions set out as a note under this section] shall become effective upon the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 4, 1975]."

Short Title

This part is popularly known as the "Child Support Enforcement Act".

Study on Effectiveness of Enforcement of Medical Support by State Agencies

Pub. L. 105–200, title IV, §401(a), July 16, 1998, 112 Stat. 659 , directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to jointly establish a Medical Child Support Working Group for the purpose of identifying impediments to the effective enforcement of medical support by State agencies administering the programs operated pursuant to part D of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.), required the Working Group to submit to the Secretaries a report containing recommendations not later than 18 months after July 16, 1998, required the Secretaries to submit a report to each House of the Congress regarding the recommendations not later than 2 months after receipt of report from the Working Group, and provided for the termination of the Working Group 30 days after the date of the issuance of its report.

Promulgation of National Medical Support Notice

Pub. L. 105–200, title IV, §401(b), July 16, 1998, 112 Stat. 660 , directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to jointly develop and promulgate by regulation a National Medical Support Notice, to be issued by States as a means of enforcing the health care coverage provisions in a child support order; required interim regulations to be issued not later than 10 months after July 16, 1998 (such regulations were issued on Nov. 15, 1999; see 64 F.R. 62054); and required final regulations to be issued not later than 1 year after the issuance of the interim regulations (such regulations were issued on Dec. 27, 2000; see 65 F.R. 82128).

Authorization of Appropriations

Pub. L. 93–647, §101(e), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2361 , provided that: "There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare [now Health and Human Services] such sums as may be necessary to plan and prepare for the implementation of the program established by this section [enacting this part and section 6305 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code]."