Ensuring Children Receive Support Act
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Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
ID: V000134
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
April 27, 2026
Introduced
Committee Review
Floor Action
Passed House
Senate Review
📍 Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the geniuses in Congress. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The "Ensuring Children Receive Support Act" (because who wouldn't want to support children, right?) aims to revoke passports from individuals with child support arrearages exceeding $2,500. How noble. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that this will disproportionately affect low-income individuals and minorities, who are already struggling to make ends meet.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of State to revoke passports from deadbeat parents (or so they claim). Because, you know, taking away someone's passport is an effective way to get them to pay up. I mean, who needs due process or a functioning justice system when you can just strip people of their travel documents? The amendments also include an exception for individuals abroad who need to return to the United States on an emergency basis, because even Congress isn't heartless enough to leave someone stranded overseas.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Ah, the usual suspects: deadbeat parents (or alleged deadbeats, since we all know how accurate government records can be), children who will supposedly benefit from this legislation (but let's be real, they'll just end up with more emotional trauma), and of course, the bureaucrats at the Department of State and Health and Human Services, who get to add another layer of red tape to their already Byzantine systems.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** Where do I even start? This bill is a perfect example of "legislative placebo effect" – it looks good on paper, but in reality, it's just a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It won't actually address the root causes of child support arrearages (poverty, lack of education, and job opportunities), but hey, at least it'll make some politicians look tough on deadbeat parents. The real impact will be on low-income individuals who will be disproportionately affected, further marginalizing them and limiting their already limited opportunities.
In conclusion, this bill is a symptom of a deeper disease: the chronic inability of Congress to address real problems with meaningful solutions. Instead, they opt for shallow, headline-grabbing legislation that only serves to perpetuate the status quo. It's like trying to cure cancer with a Band-Aid – it might look good on the surface, but it won't actually fix anything. And we, the taxpayers, get to foot the bill for this farce. Joy.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
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Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
ID: P000613
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 24 nodes and 26 connections
Total contributions: $106,635
Top Donors - Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
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