Ronald Reagan

“ By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
More than 15 million children are living in families where the father is absent, and nearly one-third of those are living in poverty. More than half the families who should receive court-ordered child support to not receive full payment, thus depriving children of billions of dollars in support each year. In some cases, these unfortunate children are left without the necessities of life.
The American people willingly extend help to children in need, including those whose parents are failing to meet their responsibilities. ”

“ Nonetheless, we must work even harder to ensure that all American children are provided the financial support they deserve and to support enforcement personnel, judicial officials, and the legal community in alleviating this problem. ”

“ For several years, the Federal government has worked with the States to recover child support payments from non-custodial parents. Collections for these children have improved dramatically in recent years, enabling thousands of families to leave the public assistance rolls. ”