The U-S Senate Wednesday unanimously passed a bill that aims to improve child support enforcement for some Native American tribes. It now advances to the House.
The bill allows the 60 tribes that currently operate their own child support agencies to access the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program to collect past-due child support from non-custodial parents.
Under the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program, if a non-custodial parent is set to receive a tax refund and owes past-due child support, the Treasury can withhold the refund and send it to the state child support of the disbursement to the family.
South Dakota Republican John Thune says the bill will help ensure that families in Indian Country can collect past-due child support payments and help put tribal and state child support enforcement powers on equal footing.
Thune introduced the bill last year, but it failed to advance, but it was reintroduced this session by Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden just 4-½-months ago