US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 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. 531Pub. L. 93–647, § 101(a)88 Stat. 2351Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, § 2332(a)95 Stat. 861Pub. L. 98–378, § 298 Stat. 1305Pub. L. 104–193, title I, § 108(c)(1)110 Stat. 2165(, title IV, § 451, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , title III, § 395(d)(1)(A), , , 2259.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 104–193, § 395(d)(1)(A)1996—, 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”.

Pub. L. 98–3781984— 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,”.

Pub. L. 97–351981— 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

section 108(c)(1) of Pub. L. 104–193section 116 of Pub. L. 104–193section 601 of this titleAmendment by effective , 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 , as amended, set out as an Effective Date note under .

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

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, § 233695 Stat. 864

“(a)
Pub. L. 97–35 Except as otherwise specifically provided in the preceding sections of this chapter [sections 2331–2335 of ] 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 .
“(b)
42 U.S.C. 651 If a State agency administering a plan approved under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act [ 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 . 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.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date

Pub. L. 93–647, § 101(f)88 Stat. 2361Pub. L. 94–46, § 289 Stat. 245

section 6305 of Title 26section 610 of this titlesection 602 of this title42 U.S.C. 659“The amendments made by this section [enacting this part and , Internal Revenue Code, amending sections 602, 603, 604, 606, and 1306 of this title, repealing , and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and ] shall become effective on , except that section 459 of the Social Security Act [], as added by subsection (a) of this section shall become effective on , 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 [].”
, , , as amended by , , , provided that:

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)112 Stat. 65942 U.S.C. 651, , , 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 ( et seq.), required the Working Group to submit to the Secretaries a report containing recommendations not later than 18 months after , 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)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 (such regulations were issued on ; 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 ; see 65 F.R. 82128).

Authorization of Appropriations

Pub. L. 93–647, § 101(e)88 Stat. 2361

section 6305 of Title 26“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 , Internal Revenue Code].”
, , , provided that: