Sec. 321. Child Support Enforcement Task Force
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There is established in the executive branch a task force to be known as the Child Support Enforcement Task Force (referred to in this section as the Task Force ). The Task Force shall be composed of 15 members consisting of— the Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services; 5 members appointed by the Senate, of which— 1 shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate; 1 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate; 1 shall be appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Finance of the Senate; and 1 shall be jointly appointed by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Finance of the Senate; 5 members appointed by the House of Representatives, of which— 1 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 1 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives; 1 shall be appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives; and 1 shall be jointly appointed by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives; and 4 members appointed by the President.
The appointments of the members of the Task Force shall be made not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act. The membership of the Task Force shall consist of individuals who are knowledgeable on issues regarding child support and related activities. Members shall be appointed for the life of the Task Force. A vacancy in the Task Force shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made and shall not affect the powers or duties of the Task Force.
A majority of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings. The Task Force may not submit the report required under subsection
(c)until all of the members have been appointed. Not later than 30 days after the Task Force has a majority, the Task Force shall hold its first meeting. During the first meeting of the Task Force, the Task Force shall select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the members appointed as of the date of the meeting. Following the first meeting of the Task Force, any subsequent meetings shall be at the call of the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson. In addition to any other meetings held by the Task Force, the Task Force shall hold at least 3 meetings that are open to the public and preceded by timely public notice in the Federal Register of the time, place, and subject of the meeting. At least one public meeting of the Task Force shall focus on issues relevant to family courts or other State or local courts with responsibility for conducting or supervising proceedings relating to child support enforcement, child welfare, or social services for children and their families. At the public meetings of the Task Force, subject to such requirements and limitations as are determined appropriate by the Chairperson, appearances may be made and oral and written statements given by members of the public and the Task Force shall engage, at a minimum, with the following groups: Administrators of State child support programs. Judges who preside over family courts or other State or local courts with responsibility for conducting or supervising proceedings relating to child support enforcement, child welfare, or social services for children and their families, and organizations that represent such judges. Custodial parents and organizations that represent such parents. Noncustodial parents and organizations that represent such parents. Organizations that represent fiduciary entities that are affected by child support enforcement policies. Members of the Task Force— shall not receive compensation for service on the Task Force; and shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of service for the Task Force. Not later than January 1, 2016, the Task Force shall prepare and submit a report to Congress that contains the Task Force's findings and recommendations for improvements in child support enforcement. The report shall include the following: An evaluation of the effectiveness of existing child support enforcement programs and collection practices employed by State agencies administering programs under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) and an analysis of the extent to which such practices result in any unintended consequences or performance issues associated with such programs and practices. Recommendations for methods to enhance the effectiveness of child support enforcement programs and collection practices. An analysis of the feasibility of the establishment of a centralized lien registry by each State to contain all liens placed against real and personal property for overdue child support that would ensure access to and sharing of registry data among all necessary entities and individuals prior to any sale or distribution of property or funds. A compilation of State recovery and distribution policies. Recommendations for methods to foster engagement by fathers in their children's lives through consideration of parental time and visitation with children. An analysis of the role for alternative dispute resolution in making child support determinations. Identification of best practices for— determining which services and support programs available to custodial and noncustodial parents are non-duplicative, evidenced-based, and produce quality outcomes, and connecting custodial and noncustodial parents to those services and support programs; providing employment support, job training, and job placement for custodial and noncustodial parents; and establishing services, supports, and child support payment tracking for noncustodial parents, including options for the prevention of, and intervention on, uncollectible arrearages, such as retroactive obligations and Medicaid birthing costs. Recommendations for methods for States to use to collect child support payments from individuals who owe excessive arrearages as determined under section 454(31) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 654(31) ). Recommendations for such legislative and administrative actions as the Task Force determines appropriate for improvement in child support enforcement. The Task Force may hold such hearings, sit, and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Task Force considers advisable to carry out this section. The Task Force may secure directly from any Federal agency such information as the Task Force considers necessary to carry out this section. Upon request of the Chairperson, the head of such agency shall furnish such information to the Task Force. For the purposes of carrying out its duties in preparing the report required under subsection (c), the Task Force may adopt such rules for its organization and procedures as it determines appropriate. The Task Force may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other agencies of the Federal Government. The Task Force may accept, use, and dispose of donations of money and property and may accept such volunteer services of individuals as it determines appropriate. The Chairperson may, without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate an executive director and such other additional employees as may be necessary to enable the Task Force to perform its duties. The employment of an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the Task Force. The Chairperson may fix the compensation of the executive director and other employees of the Task Force without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive director and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to the Task Force without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status, benefits, or privilege. The Chairperson may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. The Task Force shall terminate 60 days after submission of the report required under subsection (c). From the unobligated balance of funds made available to carry out section 414 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 614), $2,000,000 of such funds are hereby transferred and made available to carry out this section. Amounts transferred and made available to carry out this section shall remain available through fiscal year 2016 and shall not be subject to reduction under a sequestration order issued under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 ( 2 U.S.C. 900 et seq. ). Any amounts made available to carry out this section that are unobligated on the date of the termination of the Task Force under subsection
(e)shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States . Upon the request of the Task Force, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide to the Task Force, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Task Force to carry out its responsibilities under this Act. These administrative services may include human resource management, budget, leasing, accounting, and payroll services. The members of the Task Force shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Task Force.
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