Dr. Bernard Wh Jennings to pitch federal Good Dad Act at Capitol Hill briefing

Dr. Bernard Wh Jennings will present a federal family-engagement proposal at a congressional briefing on Nov. 18 in Washington, D.C., pushing Congress to update TANF and Title IV-D rules for unmarried fathers who have established paternity. The proposal seeks clearer notices, more visitation funding and stronger reporting on father engagement while keeping custody decisions with the states.

Why it matters: - Dr. Bernard Wh Jennings is pressing Congress to modernize federal family-policy programs in a way that could affect how unmarried fathers, children and families navigate paternity, parenting time and support. - The proposal is aimed at balancing financial responsibility with clearer pathways for responsible fathers to stay involved in their children’s lives. - The plan also comes with explicit limits: it does not seek a national custody standard or automatic 50-50 parenting time.

What happened: - Jennings, founder and chairman of the Good Dad Act Committee, will present the Federal Good Dad Act Family Engagement Proposal at a congressional briefing on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, at 9 a.m. in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. - The bipartisan briefing will bring together responsible-fatherhood advocates, public-policy leaders, members of Congress, congressional aides and other stakeholders. - Mark Ludwig is the principal organizer of the briefing. - The event is being held as a National Council For Equal Shared Parenting event. - Jennings will be joined by Teddy Braswell, who will address the pass-through of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds; Molly Olson, who will discuss Title IV-D child-support reform; and Ron Henry, who will address creating an Office of Men’s Health.

The details: - Jennings’ recommendations grow out of the Good Dad Act Committee’s work on state laws affecting unmarried fathers who have legally established paternity. - Florida enacted Ethan’s Good Dad Act in 2023, clarifying the legal status of an unmarried father after paternity is established and fueling a broader debate about parental responsibility and parenting time. - The proposal asks Congress to build on those state efforts by modernizing the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. - Jennings said the federal government already has a strong system for establishing paternity and enforcing financial responsibility, but Congress should also ensure parents get clear information and a lawful path to understand broader parental duties. - The proposal would be pursued as part of TANF reauthorization or another suitable Title IV-D legislative measure. - One reform would require plain-language notice when a state establishes parentage or enters a child-support order through a federally supported program. - That notice would explain that parentage and child support do not necessarily establish custody, parenting time or an enforceable parenting plan. - Parents would also receive state-specific information on requesting parenting time, custody, mediation or other relief, plus referrals to affordable court-navigation, employment, responsible-fatherhood and family-support services. - A second reform would raise the federal Access and Visitation Grant Program from its current statutory level of $10 million to at least $50 million a year. - The expanded funding could support mediation, parenting-plan help, co-parenting education, supervised visitation when appropriate, legal information, employment assistance and partnerships with community-based fatherhood groups. - A third reform would require stronger TANF and Title IV-D reporting on father and noncustodial-parent engagement. - States would report how many parents receive notices and referrals, participation in mediation and parenting-plan services, and spending on responsible-fatherhood programs. - The proposal would measure service access and completed referrals without requiring courts or families to reach a preset custody outcome. - The proposal preserves protections for domestic violence, abuse, neglect, abandonment and child safety. - It calls for screening, confidentiality protections and supervised services when needed. - The Good Dad Act Committee says it holds weekly educational meetings with fathers, mothers, attorneys, judges, mediators, counselors and other professionals. - The committee also works with advocates in multiple states on responsible-fatherhood education and family-law reforms.

Between the lines: - The proposal is designed to appeal to both parties by combining father engagement, child support enforcement and state control over custody decisions. - The policy pitch frames family involvement as a complement to, not a replacement for, financial accountability. - The emphasis on reporting and referrals suggests a push to make federal programs track whether parents are actually connecting with services, not just receiving orders.

What's next: - Federal policymakers will hear the proposal at the Nov. 18 briefing and assess whether TANF or Title IV-D changes could advance in Congress. - The discussion could influence future debate over responsible fatherhood, visitation access and family-support funding. - The Good Dad Act Committee will continue its education and advocacy work across the United States.

The bottom line: - Jennings is using the Capitol Hill briefing to push a federal version of the Good Dad Act that seeks clearer notice, more services and better reporting for fathers while leaving custody determinations to the states.