# Senator Pat Toomey Blocks Amendment Protecting Debtors-Blames \’Deadbeats\’

- Link: https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/
- Published: 2024-05-06T14:23:35+00:00
- Author: MsRockMon

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2.jpegwp-content/uploads/2024/04/two-housholds-child-support.jpg.com/wp-content/
uploads/2021/03/Source-WHYY-scaled.jpg\")

Kenya N. Rahmaan

Pennsylvania Senator, Pat Toomey, made headlines last week. He blocked an amendment
introduced by Democrats that would have protected the third round of stimulus payments
from being garnished by private debt collectors. Millions impatiently awaited the
decision on whether or not the President would sign the $1.9 trillion American Rescue
Act into law and send the third round of stimulus payments out to Americans. Once
signed, citizens discovered that due to the reconciliation process used in passing
the bill, people owing government debt were safe from garnishments; however, debt
collectors could snatch the money to cover the private debt.  [https://youtu.be/171PjU2ztA4](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://youtu.be/171PjU2ztA4\")

According to Samantha Chatman (2021), if a person has a court judgment against them
for unpaid medical bills or credit card debt, the stimulus money could be taken.
This loss of protection triggered advocates across the country to demand that government
officials intervene to block the garnishment go-ahead included in the stimulus bill.
Shahar Ziv of Forbes (2021) wrote that \”Toomey\’s intransigence stopped the Senate
from considering the amendment and could mean that up to 70 million Americans may
see their stimulus checks pared or completely seized\”. Toomey, while denying the
existence of a wealth and inequality crisis in America, unfortunately, used a common
scapegoat to defend his blocking of the amendment. That being \’deadbeats.\’

America has been blaming non-custodial parents (NCPS) a/k/a \’deadbeats for numerous
problems since the passing of the Deadbeat Punishment Act in 1998. Although parents
indebted to the government and/or custodial parents were finally spared from stimulus
seizures, Toomey\’s reference and blame seem as outrageous as the deadbeat stereotype
and narrative pushed for decades. According to Candy Woodall of the Pennsylvania
State Capital Bureau (2021), Toomey said the plan from Democrats protected \”Deadbeat
Dads\” and ex-husbands who haven\’t paid alimony or child support. Not only is this
statement false since child support debtors are already protected in the bill, but
the \’deadbeat\’ dad narrative has also been disproven repeatedly over the years.

The word \’deadbeat\’ implies that a father (or mother, for that matter, has the
resources to support their offspring yet refuses to do so. In reality, there are
a plethora of barriers that NCPs face, which seriously hinder them from making full
and on-time payments. Vicky Turetsky, former Commissioner of the Federal Office 
of Child Support Enforcement OCSE) (2019) wrote that many NCPs-those with limited
education and marketable skills, an intermittent work history, and sometimes a criminal
record-struggle to find and maintain work at a sufficient wage to support themselves
and pay their child support obligations. These issues, accompanied by possible health
problems, disabilities, lack of transportation, homelessness, etc., have created
dead-broke and not \’deadbeat\’ parents.

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uploads/2021/01/BradleyAmendmentSlide.jpg\")

Fathers already facing hardships that hinder their ability to provide for their 
basic needs are forced to pay child support amounts that they simply cannot afford.
Unsurprisingly, parents who owe the most child support debt earn the least amount
of money. When comparing child support debt amounts owed by high debtors versus 
non-debtors, the differences are astounding. Elaine Sorenson, Liliana Sousa, and
Simon Schaner (2007) explained that,

> nearly three-quarters of the high debtors had either no reported income (44 percent)
> or reported income of $10,000 a year or less (30 percent). The median amount of
> reported income amount high debtors was $685 a year. In contrast, one-fifth of
> the non-debtors had no reported income (11 percent) or reported income of $10,000
> a year or less (9 percent). Their median reported income was $29,625 per year.

It should not be a shock that parents ordered to pay realistic amounts of child 
support and have the ability to pay do not find themselves criminalized and ostracized
for being poor. As of 2019, the OCSE reported the national child support debt at
nearly $118 billion. This outrageous amount is due, in part, to unrealistic child
support amounts, fines and fees applied to the debt, and old debt that can\’t be
erased because of the Bradley Amendment. The Bradley Amendment, enacted in 1986,
prohibits the retroactive state modification of child support arrears (EveryCRSReport.
com, 2000)  [https://youtu.be/dv0KpADLlFY](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://youtu.be/dv0KpADLlFY\")

This outdated and unfair amendment forces NCPs into lifelong indebtedness. As of
2019, nearly $24 billion was allegedly owed by NCPS to the United States government.
This debt results from custodial parents applying and receiving welfare benefits
for which the NCPs are now responsible for repayment. Never mind that welfare benefits
are grants and not loans. This debt, mostly uncollectable, places a tremendous burden
on NCPs as they attempt to provide for their children and themselves. Considering
the barriers parents traditionally face when involved with the child support system
and a new worldwide pandemic, it seems that Senator Toomey is looking for the most
common scapegoat, \’deadbeat\’ dads.

![\"\"](\"https://https://thechildsupporthustle.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_1174-
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uploads/2020/08/20billdebt.jpg\")

His unwillingness to shield citizens from private debt collectors should be placed
squarely on his shoulders and not on the shoulders of his parents. It is time for
this country to dispel the myth of the \’deadbeat\’ and assist low-income parents
in gaining a fresh start without the burden of government-owed child support debt.
Senator Toomey needs to address his \’deadbeat\’ issues as he refuses to approve
a bill that would ensure that struggling citizens receive every penny of the stimulus
payment. He has the power to help yet refuses to do so. That sounds like a \’deadbeat.\’

You can support the initiative demanding that the government erase all government-
owed child support debt by signing our petition.  [https://bit.ly/2YWDxJ3](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://bit.ly/2YWDxJ3\")

References

Chatman, S. (2021, March 18). _Third round of stimulus checks could be garnished
by debt collectors, expert says_. ABC7 Chicago. [https://abc7chicago.com/stimulus-check-covid-19-us-debt-credit-card/10429584/](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://abc7chicago.com/stimulus-check-covid-19-us-debt-credit-card/10429584/\")

EveryCRSReport.com. (2000, July 27). _The Bradley amendment: Prohibition against
retroactive modification of child support arrearages_. [https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RS20642.html](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RS20642.html\")

Office of Child Support Enforcement. (2020). _Preliminary report to congress fy2019_.
Retrieved March 22, 2021, from [https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ocse/fy_2019_preliminary_data_report.pdf](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ocse/fy_2019_preliminary_data_report.pdf\")

Sorenson, E., Sousa, L., & Schaner, S. (2007, July 11). _Assessing child support
arrears in nine large states and the nation_. Urban Institute | Social and Economic
Policy Research. [https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/29736/1001242-Assessing-Child-Support-Arrears-in-Nine-Large-States-and-the-Nation.PDF](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/29736/1001242-Assessing-Child-Support-Arrears-in-Nine-Large-States-and-the-Nation.PDF\")

Woodall, C., & GoErie.com. (2021, March 19). _Toomey blocks bill that prevents debt
collectors from taking stimulus checks. Why he did it_. Pennsylvania State Capital
Bureau. [https://www.goerie.com/story/news/2021/03/19/toomey-stimulus-debt-collector-vote/4756514001/](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://www.goerie.com/story/news/2021/03/19/toomey-stimulus-debt-collector-vote/4756514001/\")

<

p id=\”a5\”>Ziv, S. (2021, March 19). _Republican senator blocks bill to protect
$1,400 stimulus checks from debt collectors_. Forbes. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaharziv/2021/03/19/republican-senator-blocks-bill-to-protect-1400-stimulus-checks-from-debt-collectors/?sh=7bbbe9f15032](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/senator-pat-toomey-blocks-amendment-protecting-debtors-blames-deadbeats-2/\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaharziv/2021/03/19/republican-senator-blocks-bill-to-protect-1400-stimulus-checks-from-debt-collectors/?sh=7bbbe9f15032\")