Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 96 Part 1.djvu/444

 96 STAT. 402

PUBLIC LAW 97-248—SEPT. 3, 1982 "ALLOTMENTS FROM PAY FOR CHILD AND SPOUSAL SUPPORT OWED BY MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES ON ACTIVE DUTY

42 USC 665.

"Authorized person."

"SEC. 465. (a)(1) In any case in which child support payments or child and spousal support payments are owed by a member of one of the uniformed services (as defined in section 101(3) of title 37, United States Code) on active duty, such member shall be required to make allotments from his pay and allowances (under chapter 13 of title 37, United States Code) as payment of such support, when he has failed to make periodic payments under a support order that meets the criteria specified in section 303(b)(1)(A) of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1673(b)(1)(A)) and the resulting delinquency in such payments is in a total amount equal to the support payable for two months or longer. Failure to make such payments shall be established by notice from an authorized person (as defined in subsection (b)) to the designated official in the appropriate uniformed service. Such notice (which shall in turn be given to the affected member) shall also specify the person to whom the allotment is to be payable. The amount of the allotment shall be the amount necessary to comply with the order (which, if the order so provides, may include arrearages as well as amounts for current support), except that the amount of the allotment, together with any other amounts withheld for support from the wages of the member, as a percentage of his pay from the uniformed service, shall not exceed the limits prescribed in sections 303(b) and (c) of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1673 (b) and (c)). An allotment under this subsection shall be adjusted or discontinued upon notice from the authorized person. "(2) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subsection, no action shall be taken to require an allotment from the pay and allowances of any member of one of the uniformed services under such provisions (A) until such member has had a consultation with a judge advocate of the service involved (as defined in section 801(13) of title 10, United States Code), or with a law specialist (as defined in section 801(11) of such title) in the case of the Coast Guard, or with a legal officer designated by the Secretary concerned (as defined in section 101(5) of title 37, United States Code) in any other case, in person, to discuss the legal and other factors involved with respect to the member's support obligation and his failure to make payments thereon, or (B) until 30 days have elapsed after the notice described in the second sentence of paragraph (1) is given to the affected member in any case where it has not been possible, despite continuing good faith efforts, to arrange such a consultation. "(b) For purposes of this section the term 'authorized person' with respect to any member of the uniformed services means— "(1) any agent or attorney of a State having in effect a plan approved under this part who has the duty or authority under such plan to seek to recover any amounts owed by such member as child or child and spousal support (including, when authorized under the State plan, any official of a political subdivision); and "(2) the court which has authority to issue an order against such member for the support and maintenance of a child, or any agent of such court. "(c) The Secretary of Defense, in the case of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the Secretary concerned (as defined in section 101(5) of title 37, United States Code) in the case of each of

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