Home > News

Rep. McDermott Receives Children’s Champion Award
January 29, 2008
For Immediate Release

The National Child Support Enforcement Association presented Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), chairman of the Ways and Means Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee, with its 2008 Children’s Champion Award today for his leadership in Congress on issues affecting vulnerable children.

The award presentation was made by Sharon Santilli, president of the NCSEA, at a conference in Washington, D.C., with over 300 people attending.

After receiving the award, Rep. McDermott delivered this keynote address.

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Keynote
National Child Support Enforcement Association
Accepting NCSEA’s 2008 Children’s Champion Award
January 29, 2008 - Hyatt CH - Washington, D.C.

Good morning;
I am honored to be here and humbled to receive this award. The Bible tells us there is a time for every purpose under heaven. The time is now for our nation to protect and care for vulnerable children with the same love, attention and responsibility that we give to our own children every day. The time is now for America to strengthen our child support enforcement program. You and I know that America is falling short in our child support enforcement program. The cuts made to the enforcement program by a Republican Congress in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 were - and are - penny wise and pound foolish.

For every $1 spent on child support enforcement, $4.50 is collected in child support.
That’s the kind of return on investment that proves what government can do right.
But, the money cut from this program was used to finance tax cuts on investment income.

Now, I’m all for free enterprise, but there is something very wrong in our society when we’re willing to give people a tax cut on investment income by cutting, in effect, our investment in children.

As you know, many of these kids live in families that are struggling at or below the poverty line.

Taking money away from this vulnerable population means taking food off the table for many of these people --- all to give some people a tax break.

We’ve got some work to do. We’ve got to pass the Child Support Enforcement Act, HR 1386 that I introduced and repeal the cuts made to the program. Dead beat Dads should not get a pass on their responsibility in legislation passed by Congress.

To date, 75 Members of Congress have co-sponsored my bill. That’s good but I want more.

I want your help in building an armada of support for 16 million kids that cannot be ignored.

Today, all the talk in the press is about the President’s State of the Union speech last night and the effort today to pass an economic stimulus package in the House.
Let’s make tomorrow all about 16 million American children.
One of my heroes is Margaret Mead. She said: Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

I look around and see a group of thoughtful, committed citizens. We know what’s at stake, who is at stake and what we need to do. To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. For the sake of these children, let’s do everything we can to make this their time.

Thank you.