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Congressional Daily Record
This section captures a floor statement or debate entry. It mentions legislation such as Ensuring Children Receive Support Act, members such as Jason Smith.
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April 27, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6903) to require the Secretary of State to revoke any United States passport issued to an individual, on receipt of a certification by the Secretary of Health and Human Services that the individual has a child support arrearage exceeding $2,500, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Ensuring Children Receive
Support Act”.
SEC. 2. REVOCATION OF PASSPORTS ISSUED TO INDIVIDUALS WITH A
CHILD SUPPORT ARREARAGE EXCEEDING $2,500.
(a) In General.—Section 452(k) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 652(k)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “, revocation, or
limitation” and inserting “or revocation”; and
(2) in paragraph (2)—
(A) by striking “may revoke, restrict, or limit” and
inserting “revoke”; and
(B) by inserting “, and notify such individual of the
intent to take such action” before the period.
(b) Exception.—Notwithstanding the amendments made by
subsection (a), if an individual is abroad and needs to
return to the United States on an emergency basis, the
Department of State is authorized to issue a temporary
passport for that purpose. That passport will be good only
for the return to the United States of the individuals and
will be limited in duration.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on
October 1, 2026.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6903, the Ensuring Children Receive Support Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Representatives Beth Van Duyne and Jimmy Panetta.
This legislation has a simple premise: Parents must meet their obligations to care for their kids, period. It is pretty simple.
in part on the Passport Denial Program, which is run out of the State Department and, as its name suggests, is used to deny the ability of delinquent parents to obtain a passport to leave the country when they owe back child support.
or revoke a passport of an individual, but as we have discovered, quite often the bureaucracy does not act with the level of urgency that is needed. This bill makes it clear that the State Department must revoke an individual's passport, both at the time of initial application for a passport and at the time of renewal.
income for low-income families, making up 41 percent of total income when received and can help reduce poverty and reliance on welfare. Among all families served, 24 percent have income below the Federal poverty level.
to ensure that States have the enforcement tools that they need and children receive the support that they need and are owed without delay.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Ensuring Children Receive Support Act, which I am proud to co-lead with Representative Van Duyne. I thank her for her leadership and thank the chairman for pushing this bill forward with overwhelming support out of the Ways and Means Committee onto the House floor for this vote.
{time} 1640
responsibility. Unfortunately, nationwide, there is more than $115 billion owed in child support arrears. As of fiscal year 2024, there were more than 8.7 million parents who hadn't made a payment in over 5 years.
the authority to withhold passports and passport renewals from someone with unpaid child support. That is called the passport denial program. That program collects about $30 million a year in outstanding child support debt, but this is out of about $30 billion that we collect each year in total child support payments.
single parents struggle, and, unfortunately, that means that, at times, children can go hungry.
by rescinding passports when someone is more than $2,500 in arrears for child support. When you don't pay, you must stay.
referred to the State Department. However, if necessary, there would be emergency passports if they urgently need to travel while in arrears. Moreover, they would also be eligible to have their passports reinstated once they pay their child support.
part to meet the urgency that so many single parents feel and finds practical solutions to ensure that child support gets paid. That is why I urge my colleagues to vote “yes.”
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne), the sponsor of this legislation and someone who is standing up for children across this country to ensure that they get the support that they need.
Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I thank my colleague Congressman Panetta from California for also helping to introduce this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 6903, the Ensuring Children Receive Support Act.
refund seasons on record, with an estimated $91 billion already issued as part of an expected $370 billion refund season. On average, families can look forward to nearly $4,000 back in their pockets compared to last year, and families with two children earning $73,000 will have no Federal income tax liability.
now that the working families tax cuts have been signed into law. By claiming the standard deduction and the child tax credit, families keep more of their hard-earned money to be able to provide for their families by putting food on the table, covering rent, or keeping
negotiable, particularly in joint custody households where both parents share responsibility. When child support obligations go unmet, that responsibility breaks down, leaving children without the consistent support they deserve.
at the direct expense of our children. That is why stronger enforcement tools are necessary to hold delinquent parents accountable.
Mr. Speaker, just weeks after the Ways and Means Committee marked up my legislation, we have seen reports that the administration is moving to proactively revoke passports for individuals who owe significant child support. That reinforces exactly what this bill is about: making sure the tools we already have are used both effectively and consistently.
currently allows for the denial or revocation of a passport when an individual owes more than $2,500 in past-due child support and seeks consular services.
revoke an individual's passport and notify them of the intent to take such action. If an individual is abroad when their passport is revoked, the State Department may make an emergency exception to allow that individual to return to the United States.
over $600 million in past-due child support, including $30 million in 2024 alone. This legislation builds on that success by strengthening enforcement and ensuring accountability for those who deliberately evade their obligations as parents.
stability. Families are stronger, and taxpayers are not left picking up the tab.
Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense, bipartisan step forward and a clear win for children and families. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass this commonsense, bipartisan legislation. The majority of child support, as we have heard, goes uncollected. Today, we have a chance to do something about it.
bipartisan policy to ensure the law is enforced and children receive the support that they need.
Representative Van Duyne understands that. I thank her for her leadership on this bill because a vote for this legislation is a vote to support children, and ultimately, it supports families.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a “yes” vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation strengthens the federal child support enforcement program, which is meant to ensure parents pay the support that they owe to their children.
This program is one of the most effective Federal programs we have. In 2024, States reported nearly $30 million in collections through the passport denial program, and over 5,000 payments were made to custodial families.
large unpaid child support debts receive a passport renewal without consequence. This bill makes sure that the State Department uses its authority to revoke passports, both at the time of the application and renewal. We should use every opportunity to make sure children get the support that they need to thrive.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6903, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.