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Child Support Recovery Act of 1992

Public Law 102-521 · S. 1002 · 102nd Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 25, 1992 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Sen. Richard Shelby (D-AL)

Cosponsors (10): Sen. Alfonse D’Amato,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Child Support Recovery Act of 1992 - Amends the Federal criminal code to set penalties (a fine, imprisonment up to six months, or both for a first offense and a fine, imprisonment up to two years, or both, in any other case) for willfully failing to pay a past due support obligation with respect to a child who resides in another State. Directs the court, upon a conviction of such offense, to order restitution in an amount equal to the past due support obligation as it exists at the time of sentencing.

Authorizes the court, as a condition of probation, to require a defendant to comply with the terms of any court order or order of an administrative process pursuant to the law of a State by making payments for the support and maintenance of a child or of a child and the parent with whom the child is living.

Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to make grants to States, for use by States and local entities in the States, to develop, implement, and enforce criminal interstate child support legislation and coordinate criminal interstate child support enforcement efforts. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) uses of grant funds; (2) State and local application requirements; (3) review of State applications; (4) the Federal share of funded project costs; and (5) an annual evaluation by grant recipients. Authorizes appropriations.

Establishes the Commission on Child and Family Welfare to: (1) compile information and data on the issues that affect the best interests of children; (2) compile a report that lists the strengths and weaknesses of the child welfare system as it relates to placement, summarizes State laws and regulations relating to visitation, and makes recommendations for changing the system or developing a Federal role in strengthening the system; (3) study the strengths and weaknesses of the juvenile and family courts as they relate to visitation, custody, and child support enforcement, and suggest any recommendations for changing the systems; (4) study domestic issues that relate to the treatment and placement of children and suggest recommendations for any needed changes; and (5) submit a final report on its findings and recommendations to the President and the Congress by January 1, 1995. Authorizes appropriations.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Youth Violence Subcommittee
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.

  1. Oct 25, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-521.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 20, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 7, 1992Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Oct 3, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
  7. FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Brooks asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
  9. Sep 18, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  10. Sep 17, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  12. Jul 29, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Youth Violence Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  13. Jul 28, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Youth Violence Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  14. May 8, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
  15. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.