Ensuring Children Receive Support Act

Bill Number: H.R. 6903
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: Families
Status: Passed House
Latest Action: 2026-04-28: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Last Updated: 2026-05-02T19:06:21Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Ensuring Children Receive Support Act (H.R. 6903) aims to strengthen child support enforcement by mandating the revocation of U.S. passports for individuals with significant child support arrears, ensuring delinquent parents prioritize payments to support their children.

Key Provisions

Passport Revocation Requirement: Upon certification by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that an individual owes more than $2,500 in child support arrears, the Secretary of State must revoke the individual's U.S. passport.
Notification: The Department of State must notify the individual of the intent to revoke the passport.
Emergency Exception: If the individual is abroad and needs to return to the U.S. on an emergency basis, the Department of State may issue a temporary passport limited solely to the return trip and with a short duration.
Effective Date: Amendments take effect on October 1, 2026.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends Section 452(k) of the Social Security Act (which governs passport actions for child support delinquents):

Changes discretionary actions ("may revoke, restrict, or limit") to mandatory revocation only ("revoke").
Removes options for passport restriction or limitation, making revocation the sole required action.
Adds a requirement to notify the individual before action.

Potential Impacts

On Citizens: Severely limits international travel for individuals with child support arrears over $2,500, potentially affecting employment, family visits, or emergencies (with limited exceptions).
On Government Agencies:
HHS must certify arrears promptly.
Department of State gains mandatory revocation duties but retains flexibility for emergency returns.
On Children and Families: Increases pressure on non-paying parents to settle debts, potentially boosting child support collections.
International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but could complicate travel for affected U.S. citizens abroad.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Individuals with Child Support Arrears (primarily non-custodial parents owing >$2,500).
Custodial Parents and Children (benefit from enforced payments).
U.S. Department of State (handles passport revocations and issuances).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (certifies arrears via child support enforcement offices).
State Child Support Agencies (feed data to HHS for certifications).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Builds on the existing "Passport Denial Program" under the Social Security Act, shifting from optional to mandatory enforcement, which may reduce administrative discretion but requires added notification (potentially addressing due process concerns).
Constitutional: Could raise questions about the right to travel (protected under the Fifth Amendment), though courts have upheld similar restrictions for debts like child support as they do not ban all travel.
Political: Positions the law as pro-family and anti-"deadbeat parents," likely appealing across party lines but criticized for overly punitive measures on low-income debtors. No broad international treaty conflicts noted.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]

Recent Actions

2026-04-28: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
2026-04-27: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2026-04-27: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3113)
2026-04-27: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3113)
2026-04-27: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6903.
2026-04-27: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3113-3114)
2026-04-27: Mr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2026-04-27: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 541.
2026-04-27: Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.
2026-04-27: Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.
2026-04-27: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-624, Part I.
2026-04-27: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-624, Part I.
2026-01-14: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 40 - 2.
2026-01-14: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
2025-12-18: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Bill Versions

Ensuring Children Receive Support Act — issued 2026-04-27 — PDF (4 pages)
Ensuring Children Receive Support Act — issued 2025-12-18 — PDF (2 pages)
Ensuring Children Receive Support Act — issued 2026-04-28 — PDF (3 pages)
Ensuring Children Receive Support Act — issued 2026-04-27 — PDF (6 pages)