Los Angeles, California 90036
July 6, 2001

Allison Giles, Chief of Staff
Committee on Ways and Means
House of Representatives
1102 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

CHILD CUSTODY

If the committee is truly interested in promoting responsible fatherhood, it should not allow state courts to systematically strip fathers and their children of access to one another. "Judicial discretion" in determining "the best interests of the child" is consistently resulting in the exclusion of fathers from children’s lives.

Deny states federal TANF funds unless they pass legislation requiring a presumption of equal joint physical custody of children for both divorced and never-married parents.

CHILD SUPPORT

The Family Support Act of 1988 required states to implement child support guidelines. Unfortunately, these guidelines have resulted in arbitrary and grossly excessive child support awards, far in excess of the actual costs of raising children. Most child support is actually long-term alimony for the custodial parent. States are using child support guidelines to micro-manage families by redistributing income on a massive scale.

Deny states federal Tanf funds unless they BASE Child support awards on the actual MARGINAL costs of raising children, based on peer-reviewed, scientific studies.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard M. Green, M.D.