113 S2475 IS: Children in Families First Act of 2014
U.S. Senate
2014-06-17
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.
Short
title; table of contents
(a)
This Act may be cited
as the Children in Families First Act of 2014
.
(b)
The table of contents is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings; purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
TITLE I—Realignment of certain international child welfare responsibilities and functions
Sec. 101. Establishment of the Office of Vulnerable Children and Family Security in the Department
of
State.
Sec. 102. Responsibilities of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for accreditation of
adoption service providers.
Sec. 103. Transfer of functions and savings provisions.
Sec. 104. Responsibilities of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for adoption-related case
processing.
TITLE II—Annual reporting
Sec. 201. Annual report on children living without families.
Sec. 202. Country reports regarding severe forms of trafficking.
TITLE III—Promotion of a comprehensive approach for children in adversity
Sec. 301. Establishment of a USAID Center for Excellence for Children in Adversity.
TITLE IV—Funding and effective dates
Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 402. Effective dates.
2.
(a)
Congress
makes the following findings:
(1)
The people of the
United States recognize and believe that children must grow up in
permanent,
safe, and nurturing families in order to develop and thrive.
(2)
Science proves that children, and particularly infants, living in impersonal, socially deprived
institutions suffer lasting, and in many cases, irreversible damage,
including—(A)reduced brain activity and brain size;(B)lower intelligence quotients;(C)serious behavioral and emotional problems; and(D)disturbed relationships with others.
(3)
Governments in other countries seek models that promote the placement of children who are living
outside family care in permanent, safe, and nurturing families, rather
than in foster care or institutions; but many governments lack the
resources or infrastructure to adequately address this need.
(4)
Despite the good
efforts of countless governments and nongovernmental organizations,
millions of
children remain uncounted and outside of the protection, nurturing care,
permanence, safety, and love of a family.
(5)
No reliable data
currently exists to define and document the number and needs of children
in the
world currently living without families, but available evidence
demonstrates
that there are millions of children in this situation needing immediate
help.
(6)
The December 2012 Action Plan for Children in Adversity commits the United States Government to
achieving a world in which all children grow up within protective family
care and free from deprivation, exploitation, and danger. To effectively
and efficiently accomplish this goal, it is necessary to realign the
United States Government’s current operational system for assisting
orphans and vulnerable children, and processing intercountry adoptions.
(7)
Significant
resources are already dedicated to international assistance for orphans
and
vulnerable children, and a relatively small portion of these resources can
be
reallocated to achieve more timely, effective, nurturing, and permanent
familial solutions for children living without families, resulting in
fewer
children worldwide living in institutions or on the streets, more families
preserved or reunified, and increased domestic and international
adoptions.
(b)
The
purposes of this Act are—
(1)
to support the
core American value that families are the bedrock of any society;
(2)
to protect the
fundamental human right of all children to grow up within the loving care
of
permanent, safe, and nurturing families;
(3)
to address a
critical gap in United States foreign policy implementation by adjusting
the
Federal Government’s international policy and operational structures so
that
seeking permanent families for children living without families receives
more
prominence, focus, and resources (through the reallocation of existing
personnel and resources);
(4)
to harness the
diplomatic and operational power of the United States Government in the
international sphere by helping to identify and implement timely,
permanent,
safe, and nurturing familial solutions for children living without
families,
including refugee or stateless children, through effective implementation
of the 3 principal objectives of the Action Plan on Children in Adversity;
(5)
to ensure that
intercountry adoption by United States citizens becomes a
viable and fully developed option for creating permanent families for
children
who need them;
(6)
to protect
against abuses of children, birth families, and adoptive parents involved
in
intercountry adoptions, and to ensure that such adoptions are in the
individual
child’s best interests; and
(7)
to harmonize and
strengthen existing intercountry adoption processes under United States
law—
(A)
by ensuring that
the same set of procedures and criteria govern suitability and eligibility
determinations for prospective adoptive parents seeking to complete
intercountry adoptions, whether or not the child is from a foreign state
that
is a party to the Hague Adoption Convention; and
(B)
by aligning the
definitions of eligible child for Convention adoptions and non-Convention
adoptions to the maximum extent possible.
3.
In this Act:
(1)
Action plan on
children in adversity
The term Action Plan on Children in
Adversity means the policy document entitled United States
Government Action Plan on Children in Adversity: A Framework for
International
Assistance: 2012–2017
, released on December 19, 2012, including any subsequent amendments or revisions released by the
United States Government before the end of 2017.
(2)
Appropriate,
protective, and permanent family care
The term appropriate,
protective, and permanent family care means a nurturing, lifelong,
commitment to a child by an adult, or adults with parental roles and
responsibilities that—
(A)
provides physical
and emotional support;
(B)
provides the
child with a sense of belonging; and
(C)
generally
involves full legal recognition of the child’s status as child of the
parents
and of the parents’ rights and responsibilities regarding the child.
(3)
The term central authority has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42
U.S.C.
14902).
(4)
The term children in adversity means
children and youth—(A)who are younger than 18 years of age;(B)who live inside or outside of family care; and(C)whose safety, well-being, growth, and development are at significant risk due to inadequate care,
protection, or access to essential services.
(5)
The term Convention
adoption has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Intercountry
Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14902).
(6)
The term Convention country has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42
U.S.C.
14902) and for which the Hague Adoption Convention has entered into
force.
(7)
The term family means a collective body of persons, consisting of at least 1 child and 1 parent, legal custodian,
or adult relative, in which—(A)the persons reside in the same house or living unit; or(B)the parent, legal custodian, or adult relative has a legal responsibility by blood, marriage, or
legal order to support or care for the child.(8)
(A)The
term guardianship means a permanent legal relationship between an
adult and a child, in which the adult is lawfully invested with the power,
and
charged with the duty, of taking care of the child.(B)While some forms of
guardianship are not truly permanent, the form of guardianship referred to
and
supported under this Act is permanent guardianship.(C)A Kefala order issued
by a
country that follows traditional Islamic law does not qualify as an
adoption
under United States law, but may be a form of guardianship in some
circumstances.
(D)Individual parent-child relationships in a small, family-like group home in which caretaking is
provided only by 1 or more unpaid caretakers might, in some circumstances,
qualify as a guardianship if legalized in that form.(E)The term guardianship does not include a paid guardianship, although an exception may be appropriate in cases involving
children with disabilities.
(9)
Habitual
residence determination
The term habitual residence
determination means a factual determination of where a prospective
adoptive parent (or parents) resides and where the child resides for
purposes
of an intercountry adoption case.
(10)
Hague adoption
convention
The term Hague Adoption Convention means
the Convention of Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of
Intercountry Adoption, concluded at The Hague May 29, 1993.
(11)The term institutional care means care provided in any nonfamily-based group setting, including—(A)orphanages;(B)transit or interim care centers;(C)children’s homes;(D)children’s villages or cottage complexes; and(E)boarding schools used primarily for care purposes as an alternative to a children’s home.
(12)
The term kinship care—(A)means the full-time care,
nurturing, and protection of children by relatives, members of their
tribes or
clans, godparents, stepparents, or any adult who has a kinship bond with a
child, if such persons have the capacity and commitment to
function as
true parents for the child on a permanent basis; and(B)does not include paid
kinship foster care, except in the case of children with disabilities.
(13)
The term non-Convention adoption
means—
(A)
an adoption by
United States parents of a child from a non-Convention country in
accordance
with subparagraph (F) of section 101(b)(1) of the Immigration and
Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1));
(B)
an adoption by
United States parents of a child under the laws of the child’s country of
origin (generally when the parents are living in the child’s country of
origin
and therefore able legally to complete a domestic adoption); or
(C)
in certain
circumstances (generally with respect to relative adoptions or adoptions
by
dual national parents), an adoption by United States parents of a child
from a
Convention country if that country allows legal and valid adoptions to
take
place outside the scope of the Convention.
(14)
The term non-Convention country means a
country in which the Hague Adoption Convention has not entered into force,
regardless of whether or not that country has signed the Convention.
(15)
The term unparented children means children
lacking the legal, permanent, safe, and nurturing care of a parental
figure or
figures, either inside their country of origin, in the country of their
habitual residence, or elsewhere, regardless of their lawful or unlawful
immigration status in their current country of residence.
<enum>I</enum>
<header>Realignment of
certain international child welfare responsibilities and functions</header>
<section id="id4E3BE82E65784E4795CCD6B5E89833D0">
<enum>101.</enum>
<header>Establishment
of the Office of Vulnerable Children and Family Security in the Department
of
State</header>
<subsection id="id1dda90bb5ee04233a112495c712d2252">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>Establishment</header>
<text>There
is established within the Department of State the Office of Vulnerable
Children
and Family Security (referred to in this Act as the <quote>VCFS</quote>), which
shall be located in the Secretariat for Civilian Security, Democracy and
Human
Rights and shall promote and support the following activities:</text>
<paragraph id="id1cd9a4fb2fdf43999cdc19c26f7fd423">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>The development
and implementation in foreign countries of child welfare laws,
regulations,
policies, best practices, and procedures in keeping with the goals
articulated
in the Action Plan for Children in Adversity, including—</text>
<subparagraph id="id7885e1471b2d448397e3e86b202fc533">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>the sound
development of children through the integration of health, nutrition, and
family support;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc7bf8ae8938b4153a755998df5b599ab">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>supporting and
enabling families to care for children through family preservation,
reunification, and support of kinship care, guardianship, and domestic and
intercountry adoption; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idd2349c8e83a84df2bdf3444b606be5b7">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>facilitating the
efforts of national governments and partners to prevent, respond to, and
protect children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id8214d22d916743f08db4699f1f30d15b">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>Addressing the
gap in United States Government diplomacy, policy, and operations with
respect
to promoting appropriate, protective, and permanent family care for
children
living without families by leading the
development and implementation of policies that will ensure the timely
provision of appropriate, protective, and permanent family care for
children
living without families, including refugee and stateless children, through
the
full continuum of permanence solutions, including family preservation and
reunification, kinship care, guardianship, and domestic and intercountry
adoption.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idCA2BA802A615419B880579DA5E1318AC">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Ambassador-at-Large</header>
<paragraph id="id404F073379BF48BA8B8EF27B95DE8859">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Appointment</header>
<text>The
VCFS shall be headed by an Ambassador-at-Large, who shall be appointed by
the
President by and with the consent of the Senate.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id270753AD72684FDBA9D3D62272B53114">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Qualifications</header>
<text>The
Ambassador-at-Large shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="id005E397C23704D3D8CE42FB745EAA937">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>have experience
in the development of policies and systems and the implementation of
programs
that promote the goals of the Action Plan for Children in Adversity;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5EDFB98ED6424233A1CB991A5A4DAA17">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>be knowledgeable
of international child welfare, family permanence, and family creation
through
domestic and intercountry adoption; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id309FF87B91734658A3BE8361E815622A">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>be committed to
developing an integrated United States Government approach to
international
child welfare that places equal emphasis on—</text>
<clause id="id9212AD84F87B49DD90CE8D5F16A2FDDB">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>early childhood
survival and development;</text>
</clause><clause id="idCA2925378F674F36B93ADA1494CF0423">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>family
permanence; and</text>
</clause><clause id="idD3AACF9CFA6F4779AB6F525AC46B6938">
<enum>(iii)</enum>
<text>protection from
abuse and exploitation.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id73E59710FF82449B90ADF7AFE803AE59">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Authority</header>
<text>The
Ambassador-at-Large shall report to the Under Secretary for Civilian
Security,
Democracy and Human Rights.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id81D43E3C663842C59F025D703FABB9D4">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Functions</header>
<paragraph id="id9F9C21AEF53B44B5BB3C4999A62B417E">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Advisory</header>
<text>The
Ambassador-at-Large shall serve as a primary advisor to the Secretary of
State
and the President in all matters related to vulnerable children and family
security in foreign countries.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idB6164254F3BF4C1989960A3BDE6FA685">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Diplomatic
representation</header>
<text>Subject to the direction of the President and the
Secretary of State, and in consultation and coordination with the Senior
Coordinator for Children in Adversity of the United States Agency for
International Development, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, the
Ambassador-at-Large shall represent the United States in matters relevant
to
international child welfare, family preservation and reunification, and
provision of permanent, safe parental care through kinship, domestic and
intercountry
adoption in—</text>
<subparagraph id="id84e0818c53f74abdbe86f3b87672ea39">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>contacts with
foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental
agencies,
and specialized agencies of the United Nations and other international
organizations of which the United States is a member;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idddb0bd0af8404c65b02503a29ce0d198">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>multilateral
conferences and meetings relevant to family preservation, reunification,
and
creating appropriate, protective, and permanent care for unparented
children;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id63d4c1c67c5b49bc8c79cf5f6437216c">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>fulfillment of
the diplomatic responsibilities designated to the central authority under
title
I of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14911">42 U.S.C. 14911 et seq.</external-xref>), as
amended by this Act.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idBE17EEC4D5BE4D19ABAF998BC7D95605">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Policy
development with respect to permanence for unparented children</header>
<subparagraph id="iddaebd02d5a3e4388b03f92dbe171d708">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>The Ambassador-at-Large shall—</text>
<clause id="id13E127716AD14F67B118BBF3DDE7B431">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>develop and
advocate for policies and practices to ensure that children in foreign
countries who are living without families find appropriate, protective,
and
permanent family care which is in the best interest of each child;</text>
</clause><clause id="id298406EECC7845979C6FDD9CFB8FE875">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>give
consideration to family preservation and reunification, kinship care,
guardianship, and domestic and intercountry adoption; and</text>
</clause><clause id="id7457A18742404F2C8ABA203E93DEB895">
<enum>(iii)</enum>
<text>seek to develop
and implement policies that lead to the use of all options for providing
appropriate, protective, and permanent family care to children living
without
families as quickly as possible.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id29A2EFFABADF4088B3EB9111796786B6">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<header>Best interest
determination</header>
<text>In carrying out subparagraph (A), the Ambassador-at-Large shall give preference to options that
optimize the best
interests of
children, including options which provide children with fully protected
legal
status as children and parents with full legal status as parents,
including
full parental rights and responsibilities.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id74b69343e24a41c99e6f53d4f5be5c63"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Subsidiarity</header><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA32009F7F44249AB8591431B9AFF9C05"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">All options for
providing appropriate, protective, and permanent family care to children
living
without families must be considered concurrently and permanent solutions
must
be put in place as quickly as possible. Solutions include family
preservation
and reunification, kinship care, guardianship, domestic and intercountry
adoption, and other culturally acceptable forms of care that will result
in
appropriate, protective, and permanent family care. Preference should be
given
to options that optimize the child’s best interests, which generally means
options
which provide children with fully protected legal status and parents with
full
legal status as parents, including full parental rights and
responsibilities.
The principle of subsidiarity, which gives preference to in-country
solutions,
should be implemented within the context of a concurrent planning
strategy,
exploring in- and out-of-country options simultaneously. If an in-country
placement serving the child’s best interest and providing appropriate,
protective, and permanent care is not quickly available, and such an
international home is available, the child should be placed in that
international home without delay.</text></clause><clause id="id21017616906341C39C0363E0AA21DD71"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Interim placements</header><text>Nothing in this subsection may be construed to preclude interim placements, including in kinship
care, foster care, and small group homes, to temporarily improve
children’s living conditions in individual circumstances in which—</text><subclause id="idE0D8975B8ABA4D58A4B66B6AFC48758D"><enum>(I)</enum><text>a permanent solution is not immediately available if ongoing efforts are made to move the child
from interim to permanent placement as soon as possible; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id7579AEDEFD384EDFBEA5F8275D5E62E4"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the child’s best interests will be served.</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id39C265C27DC6435CA888F157FDAA5B10"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text>Exceptions to the general rule set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) may be made, as needed in
individual cases, to serve the child’s best interests, including the
following:</text><subclause id="id66AFA7855DA946E39016A01008BB2C0E"><enum>(I)</enum><text>Permanent guardianship may be preferable to adoption in certain cases where the child has developed
a
powerful bond to a loving guardian who prefers not to adopt because of the
child’s ties to birth parents who love the child, but are not in a
position to provide appropriate nurturing.</text></subclause><subclause id="id438413994C414E7FB435FE520275E861"><enum>(II)</enum><text>Options generally viewed as interim solutions, such as foster care and small group homes, may be
preferable to family reunification when the parents are not in a position
to
provide appropriate nurturing.</text></subclause><subclause id="id1AE9573D47D34B3DBB98FA5123E4362F"><enum>(III)</enum><text>For children with disabilities, solutions to prevent institutionalization and to assist with
reintegration into the community from
institutions, include payment and support to families, substitute
families, small group homes, or kinship care.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0C7C894E46314763AB157C314ECC1BA9">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<header>Best
practices</header>
<text>In developing policies and programs under this Act, the
Ambassador-at-Large shall identify and utilize evidence-based programs and
best
practices in family preservation and reunification and provision of
permanent
parental care through guardianship, kinship care, and domestic and
intercountry
adoption as derived from a wide variety of domestic, foreign, and global
policies and practices.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idb304194012f3441ca9ad098bacfd5889">
<enum>(E)</enum>
<header>Technical
assistance</header>
<text>The Ambassador-at-Large, in consultation with other
appropriate Federal agencies, shall provide technical assistance to
governments
of foreign countries to help build their child welfare capacities,
particularly pertaining to family-based permanence. Such assistance should
aim to
strengthen family preservation and reunification and the
provision
of appropriate, protective, and permanent family care through kinship
care,
guardianship, and domestic and intercountry adoption, including assistance
with—</text>
<clause id="id8d4282202e4749728606901e2c2543ec">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>the
drafting, disseminating, and implementing of legislation;</text>
</clause><clause id="id31b8e1b3070e459986fb634ce57b22ad">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>the development
of implementing systems and procedures;</text>
</clause><clause id="id9ed52b510ec742cba86f6d930ccb3892">
<enum>(iii)</enum>
<text>the
establishment of public, private, and faith- and community-based
partnerships;</text>
</clause><clause id="id9d5ad202e4d447709ee062b80f4e0e41">
<enum>(iv)</enum>
<text>the development
of workforce training for governmental and nongovernmental staff; and</text>
</clause><clause id="idf5da19fe1f5d408e96304d7230bd8338">
<enum>(v)</enum>
<text>infrastructure
development and data collection techniques necessary to identify and
document
the number and needs of children living without appropriate, protective,
and
permanent family care.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id59d4e073eee644dabcfd47edb8f54278">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<header>Responsibilities
with respect to intercountry adoption</header>
<subparagraph id="ide6664c2c1b1649ba9841cc356bf4e682">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>The VCFS, in coordination with other offices of the
Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, shall
have
lead responsibility for representing the United States Government in
discussions, negotiations, and diplomatic contacts pertaining to
intercountry
adoptions.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id521697D61F8A4199AA4C50DA4E2F6F1C">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<header>Central
authority responsibility under the intercountry adoption act of
2000</header>
<text>Section 101(b)(2) of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14911">42 U.S.C. 14911(b)(2)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>Office of Children's
Issues</quote> and inserting <quote>Office of Vulnerable Children and Family
Security</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1F6A0E009A95433ABE9247994A63F5FA">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<header>Determinations
of hague adoption convention compliance</header>
<text>The VCFS, in consultation
with other offices of the Department of State, and the Department of
Homeland Security, shall have lead responsibility for determining whether
a
Convention partner country has met its obligations under the Hague
Adoption
Convention and is eligible to participate in intercountry adoptions in
accordance with United States law. Such determinations shall be documented
in
writing, based on standardized criteria, and available for public review
and
comment.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id71c31a575d2a4a7ea4735d5201910e5b">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<header>Negotiation of
bilateral agreements</header>
<text>The VCFS, in consultation with the Secretary
of Homeland Security, shall have lead responsibility for the negotiation
of
bilateral agreements with other countries pertaining to intercountry
adoption
and in conformity with the provisions of the Hague Adoption Convention
when the
other country is a Convention partner.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id8F80D93E3BE849FC8762FD0995AEEF9C">
<enum>(5)</enum>
<header>Policy
coordination</header>
<text>The Ambassador-at-Large shall coordinate with the
Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development to maintain consistency in United
States
foreign and domestic policy and operations with respect to children living
outside family care in foreign countries, particularly those living
without
families.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id5D61FAED9EFA45E99A96837F6FA7AFFE">
<enum>(6)</enum>
<header>Information
coordination</header>
<text>The Ambassador-at-Large shall transmit—</text>
<subparagraph id="idBB722691118244ED8E4188EE5A7B32CF">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>any intercountry
adoption related case information received from the Central Authority of
another Convention country to the Secretary of Homeland Security; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC1188965E6D440939169109AAFC9B465">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>any intercountry
adoption related case information that the Secretary of Homeland Security
requests to the Central Authority of another Convention country.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id3E5D4661B9DC42248E56E6C185F66B2B">
<enum>102.</enum>
<header>Responsibilities
of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for accreditation of adoption
service providers</header>
<subsection id="id5C7B6DE93BC9467484F21C1506C7F907">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>General
responsibilities under the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000</header>
<paragraph id="idC3DB9214B77D4801A4CBAD3572413B7F">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Intercountry
Adoption Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/106/279">Public Law 106–279</external-xref>; 114 Stat. 825) is amended by
inserting after section 103 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14913">42 U.S.C. 14913</external-xref>) the following:</text>
<quoted-block act-name="" id="id4076E967EEED421A94475702B3BE4243" style="OLC">
<section id="idC588BA4062BE44DC95F0AFD25523746D">
<enum>103A.</enum>
<header>Responsibilities
of the Department of Homeland Security</header>
<subsection id="id950B49EEC9244000ADAA79E08934E6FB">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>Accreditation
and approval responsibilities</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security,
working through the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services,
shall carry out the functions prescribed by the Convention with
respect to the
accreditation of agencies and the approval of persons to provide
adoption
services in the United States in cases subject to the Convention as
provided in
title II. Such functions may not be delegated to any other Federal
agency.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id1FC4BE8138934D4C8B05C3DF091E9984">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Investigations</header>
<text>The
Secretary of Homeland Security shall be responsible for managing
and overseeing
investigations related to the operation and services of adoption
service
providers, whether directly or indirectly.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="idEF56AE99E2ED44E89852D24619533A01">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Liaison with
foreign governments on post-Placement reports and certain adoption
cases</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security shall serve as the
liaison with foreign governments with respect to queries about
required
post-placement reports and about specific intercountry adoption
cases once the
adopted children are living in the United States, including queries
about the
status of adopted children who are living in the United States in
cases
involving allegations of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or
death.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idCEBBA315DF574588A67CE5C653DB4284">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Clerical
amendment</header>
<text>Section 1 of such Act is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 103 the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6B8872068613450B8E10C83FD702BD43" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">Sec. 103A. Responsibilities of
the Department of Homeland
Security.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idCBDD37E0371544E19ECB879B6AD40940">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Conforming
amendments</header>
<text>Section 102 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14912">42 U.S.C. 14912</external-xref>) is
amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="idC2A55D52386442048B1347C823D82AD2">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>in subsection
(a), by striking <quote>The Secretary</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as
provided for under section 103A, the Secretary</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idA100A12717DA4DD2A5CD438518EC783B">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>in subsection
(b), by inserting <quote>, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland
Security,</quote> after <quote>The Secretary</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6783D97D2C514F00AC526B71C8C52AAE">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>by striking
subsection (c);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id76F5DAF73D744710848579E8A7B0083D">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>by redesignating
subsections (d) and (f) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2C22F2B05CED4296AAE6EDDC604B48C3">
<enum>(E)</enum>
<text>by striking
subsection (e).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id3F474E273F344E1BB300083F7FB1E852">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Accreditation
responsibilities under the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000</header>
<paragraph id="idC36BCABF43014735A394D6D30886DFC3">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Designation of
accrediting agencies</header>
<text>Section 202 of the Intercountry Adoption Act
of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14922">42 U.S.C. 14922</external-xref>) is amended by inserting <quote>of Homeland
Security</quote> after <quote>Secretary</quote> each place it appears.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC122A767DCEF458689EA77A2CA13C999">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Standards and
procedures for providing accreditation or approval</header>
<text>Section 203 of
the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14923">42 U.S.C. 14923</external-xref>) is amended by
inserting
<quote>of Homeland Security</quote> after <quote>Secretary</quote> each place
it appears in subsections (a) and (b).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id07D0B3465EA140ECA065F79028890976">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Oversight of
accreditation and approval</header>
<text>Section 204 of the Intercountry
Adoption Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14924">42 U.S.C. 14924</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="id8AA379CB5E924A558058861747B9C790">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>by inserting
<quote>of Homeland Security</quote> after <quote>Secretary</quote> each place
it appears; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id94E1538609FB4E1B93C340BAD8A91E3D">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>in subsection
(c)—</text>
<clause id="idEFF2E95FBF9D4BEA977F9850F33B39FB">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>in
paragraph (1), by amending the paragraph heading to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5B5062C117B2421092ADD6FD51DC4D51" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id169B513C259C48298A3DFA576A46FEB8">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<header>Authority of
the secretary of homeland security</header>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>;
and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</clause><clause id="idBA6E8A0BAC6C442786D045A20364B2CD">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>in
paragraph (2), by striking <quote>Secretary's debarment order</quote> and
inserting <quote>debarment order of the Secretary of Homeland
Security</quote>.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id604B78A3859743DAA2218040D5A5B375">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<header>Administrative
provisions</header>
<subparagraph id="id4DC1BC5F20F74791AF56CED4597FBFB5">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<header>Access to
convention records</header>
<text>Section 401(b) of the Intercountry Adoption
Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14941">42 U.S.C. 14941(b)</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<clause id="id53D2F82664E84D1B89F4D682B1BB325C">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>in
paragraph (1), by inserting <quote>, the Director of U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services,</quote> after <quote>Secretary</quote>; and</text>
</clause><clause id="id9F5BD14977C44E2B93840597884D83BB">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>in
paragraph (2), by inserting <quote>the Director of U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services,</quote> after <quote>Secretary,</quote>.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2AEB5286E34A49FFABF9838D1885071F">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<header>Assessment of
fees</header>
<text>Section 403(b) of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42
U.S.C. 14943(b)) is amended—</text>
<clause id="idE80B2814168C476FAF8C9D71BE0DCE07">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>in
paragraph (1)—</text>
<subclause id="idFF97DCE429EF418895A7198C1CE6258E">
<enum>(I)</enum>
<text>by inserting
<quote>or the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</quote>
after <quote>Secretary</quote>; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idA18EC812985A47B8845FB7284CD30FDD">
<enum>(II)</enum>
<text>by inserting
<quote>or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, respectively,</quote>
after <quote>Department of State</quote>; and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id33A31A6E4FE4496FBB583311F9574327">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>in paragraph
(2), by inserting <quote>or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
appropriation, as the case may be,</quote> after <quote>Department of State
appropriation</quote>.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id1c63fdb753c54a8a9ab296ce8743e5f2">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Intercountry
adoption functions of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</header>
<paragraph id="id5f709f7d5179465d92b6d6d293254f97">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Definitions</header>
<text>In
this subsection and in section 103:</text>
<subparagraph id="id8cc16f973212404bbf32509584a0ed67">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<header>Adoption
service</header>
<text>The term <term>adoption service</term> has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42
U.S.C.
14902).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2dee1d0dc3d34ab0be3b826ee46485e2">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<header>Associate
director</header>
<text>The term <term>Associate Director</term> means the
Associate Director of the Directorate.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id30643eb5cea64c64950b85a46f470266">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<header>Directorate</header>
<text>Except
as otherwise provided in this subsection, the term <term>Directorate</term>
means the Field Operations Directorate of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ide5a6907f97c6438ea6a4894224f115c1">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Intercountry
adoption functions</header>
<text>The Associate Director shall carry out—</text>
<subparagraph id="idfa9f34af14334da0849af5de4dc23510">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>the functions
described in section 103A(a) of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000,
relating
to accreditation of agencies and approval of persons to provide adoption
services;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idaecb2f6db1bb40dfb3758451ea97837d">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>the functions
described in section 103A(b) of such Act, relating to management and
oversight
of investigations related to the operation of such providers; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcea8be6852d34fc2a6b58b86fb321637">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>the functions
described in section 103A(c) of such Act, relating to liaison
responsibilities
regarding post-placement reports and certain adoption cases.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id95a0eb67337847739d19d905e6623451">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Informational
responsibilities</header>
<subparagraph id="idc951fb1c29824a1a829f79dd1c89ab63">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<header>Database on
adoption service providers</header>
<clause id="id4655584cb4fb4d8697e62ac42e95be3a">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>The Associate Director shall establish and operate, in
conjunction with the Secretary of State, a publicly accessible database of
adoption service providers.</text>
</clause><clause id="idb50de9d30d694da0876b3e7978599c17">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<header>Agreement</header>
<text>The
Associate Director, the Director, and the Secretary of State shall enter
into
an agreement under which the Director and the Secretary shall provide, for
the
database, data on intercountry adoption cases relating to adoption service
providers.</text>
</clause><clause id="id8d9140824cf54a3199c0ae97501b7ed1">
<enum>(iii)</enum>
<header>Contents</header>
<text>The
database shall include, with respect to each accredited agency and
approved
person, who is an adoption service provider individually, and to the
aggregate
of all adoption service providers—</text>
<subclause id="id4a3f4d9daed0457a8669b3928bda8652">
<enum>(I)</enum>
<text>information
identifying such a provider;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id328cc4a54f6d465c88b7a920811bc73b">
<enum>(II)</enum>
<text>information on
the accreditation status of an agency, or the approval status of a person,
as
an adoption service provider;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id4F3AE45077BE4F62A501EC21820F2EFA">
<enum>(III)</enum>
<text>information on
the number of applications or petitions filed respecting adoption and the
numbers of approvals and denials of the applications or petitions;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idc81bd0dc3e1e485fb94b2a0d6882f528">
<enum>(IV)</enum>
<text>the number of
substantiated grievances filed with respect to an adoption service
provider;
and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idf35ce6844a704a87af94a4335b79788c">
<enum>(V)</enum>
<text>a description of
any sanctions an adoption service provider, or corrective actions that the
provider is required to take to maintain accreditation or approval
described in
subclause (II).</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide000a699c5fe4c4e9d7ad6058afacb8d">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<header>Database on
internationally adopted children</header>
<clause id="id69432949ec4646e8b83b17be5c9a308f">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>The Associate Director, in conjunction with the Secretary
of State, shall establish and operate a database containing data
respecting
children involved in intercountry adoption cases who have immigrated to
the
United States.</text>
</clause><clause id="idC66A8DB1A1474B269C8C5FE9198C43EF">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<header>Information
tracking</header>
<text>Although the data available for adoptions finalized
before the date of the enactment of this Act will likely be incomplete,
the
Associate Director should seek to import available data on all adoptions
involving children who are younger than 18 years of age on the date of the
enactment of this Act. In operating the database established under clause
(i),
the Associate Director shall track information about each such child
before
attaining United States citizenship, including—</text>
<subclause id="id80031E41F17F49979D743B699D034C3A">
<enum>(I)</enum>
<text>information
identifying a child and the adoptive or prospective adoptive parents,
including—</text>
<item id="id84742118791545F395C04055296E2B6C">
<enum>(aa)</enum>
<text>the
full name of the child in the country of origin and the full name of the
child
after the adoption is finalized;</text>
</item><item id="id815F5701989D4B84A4ED7E7D759843FC">
<enum>(bb)</enum>
<text>the
gender, date of birth, nationality, and citizenship of the child;</text>
</item><item id="id1FEC7362B33A4AFC9F50B50087CF1101">
<enum>(cc)</enum>
<text>the
physical address of the child at the time of the adoption;</text>
</item><item id="id33F8BF528D2449899484745198F74FA7">
<enum>(dd)</enum>
<text>the type of
visa
issued to the child; and</text></item><item id="id447ED0E5A05243979E1195064ABC1B30"><enum>(ee)</enum><text>the
date on which the child entered the United States;</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="id5B71B426347C4751A81C6C854D8CBF37">
<enum>(II)</enum>
<text>information on
the particular adoption service provider, if any, providing services in
the
particular case; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id02E6646FD7E64B3B907014E879D68E6D">
<enum>(III)</enum>
<text>information on
immigration or citizenship status of the child.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="idb505fba702bc423fa5785036cc3aa1a5">
<enum>(iii)</enum>
<header>Interagency
agreement</header>
<text>The Associate Director, the Director, and the Secretary
of State shall enter into an agreement under which the Secretary of State
shall
provide, for the database, data on intercountry adoption cases concerning
the
adopted children, and the adoption service providers.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id5c129f1553ce46d5aff36c4cb427089f">
<enum>103.</enum>
<header>Transfer of
functions and savings provisions</header>
<subsection id="idc8f260ff76224440846898c12d5c2d69">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>Definitions</header>
<text>In
this section, unless otherwise provided or contextually indicated—</text>
<paragraph id="id08886b7363c2457fab00529e194c7cb1">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>the term
<term>Federal agency</term> has the meaning given to the term
<term>agency</term> under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/551">section 551(1)</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id1f6f7e9203f74fc0a93b788b264d5262">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>the term
<term>function</term> means any duty, obligation, power, authority,
responsibility, right, privilege, activity, or program; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id6efbe9c5afff422db847b85fe46b6b05">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text>the term
<term>office</term> includes any office, administration, agency, institute,
unit, organizational entity, or component thereof.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id6f663648ffef4557a51e0460aa79dd18">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Transfer of
functions</header>
<text>There are transferred to the Directorate, all functions
described in section 103A(a) of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, as
added
by section 102(a) of this Act, which were exercised by the Secretary of
State
before the date of the enactment of this Act (including all related
functions
of any officer or employee of the Department of State), including
functions
relating to—</text>
<paragraph id="id6b53acc55b004ab08b20eb00d050909c">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>the accreditation
of agencies and approval of persons to provide adoption services;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="iddae84db63aac4f24b2f995d10d3385d6">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>the management
and oversight of investigations related to the operation of such
providers;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idA4AAEAD68E5E497FA31ECB110CDA8E70">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text>liaison
responsibilities with respect to required post-placement reports.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id528fddf02a4e434181183a79bb01a1ea">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Determinations
of certain functions by the Office of Management and Budget</header>
<text>If
necessary, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall make
any
determination with respect to the transfer of functions under subsection
(b).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id0dcdcd8c3c8c433eb6a41ffbf48fcb91">
<enum>(d)</enum>
<header>Personnel
provisions</header>
<paragraph id="id81a590f03baa4dce9dcd626efdb44d5f">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Appointments</header>
<text>The
Associate Director may appoint and fix the compensation of such officers
and
employees, including investigators, attorneys, and administrative law
judges,
as may be necessary to carry out the respective functions transferred
under
this section. Except as otherwise provided by law, such officers and
employees
shall be appointed in accordance with the civil service laws and their
compensation fixed in accordance with title 5, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id3b95dd485d7642cd9230f0d033f1aa8c">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Experts and
consultants</header>
<text>The Associate Director may obtain the services of
experts and consultants in accordance with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/3109">section 3109</external-xref> of title 5, United
States Code, and compensate such experts and consultants for each day
(including travel time) at rates not in excess of the rate of pay for
level IV
of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of such title. The Associate
Director may pay experts and consultants who are serving away from their
homes
or regular place of business travel expenses and per diem in lieu of
subsistence at rates authorized by sections 5702 and 5703 of such title
for
persons in Government service employed intermittently.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id177adcbc81c04811a9d96c6615e06662">
<enum>(e)</enum>
<header>Delegation and
assignment</header>
<text>Except where otherwise expressly prohibited by law or
otherwise provided under this section—</text>
<paragraph id="id669BE680F2354944BB28BEF696A364B7">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>the Associate
Director may—</text>
<subparagraph id="id4CC8A6A32F7948899A7F8B956D6E276B">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>delegate any of
the functions transferred to the Associate Director under this section and
any
function transferred or granted to the Associate Director after the date
of the
enactment of this Act to such officers and employees of the Directorate as
the
Associate Director may designate; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id04E5075ED3CB4F9EB9D4D18B27E4B80C">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>authorize
successive redelegations of such functions as may be necessary or
appropriate;
and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id0F60D530B2E64DF493CB692B481E0783">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>no delegation of
functions by the Associate Director under this subsection or under any
other
provision of this section shall relieve such Associate Director of
responsibility for the administration of such functions.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id156867e4293444168ba286f50ac85b55">
<enum>(f)</enum>
<header>Reorganization</header>
<text>The
Associate Director is authorized—</text>
<paragraph id="id3A9ADAEDC39E433DB3BE743555AA3C72">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>to allocate or
reallocate any function transferred under subsection (b) among the
officers of
the Directorate; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id9158CFB4D03D476E9DD45846058DAE68">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>to establish,
consolidate, alter, or discontinue such organizational entities in the
Directorate as may be necessary or appropriate.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idde136ce6f5464ee59ec1779a7af329c9">
<enum>(g)</enum>
<header>Rules</header>
<text>The
Associate Director is authorized to prescribe, in accordance with the
provisions of chapters 5 and 6 of title 5, United States Code, such rules
and
regulations as the Associate Director determines necessary or appropriate
to
administer and manage the functions of the Directorate.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id7ac8f625be224b2b84f1255687ec4d76">
<enum>(h)</enum>
<header>Transfer and
allocations of appropriations and personnel</header>
<text>Except as otherwise
provided under this section and subject to <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/31/1531">section 1531</external-xref> of title 31,
United
States Code, the personnel employed in connection with, and the assets,
liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds employed,
used,
held, arising from, available to, or to be made available in connection
with
the functions transferred under subsection (b), shall be transferred to
the
Directorate. Unexpended funds transferred pursuant to this subsection may
only
be used for the purposes for which the funds were originally authorized
and
appropriated.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id37524fcbb35f4c8c8d2a59962782adaa">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<header>Incidental
transfers</header>
<text>The Director of the Office of Management and
Budget—</text>
<paragraph id="id0D4AD8DF49DA4CAEA544E09380649329">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>may, at such time
or times as the Director may prescribe—</text>
<subparagraph id="id952FB8BC66304F7EAD7E0469D5BF51F6">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>make such
determinations as may be necessary with regard to the functions
transferred
under subsection (b); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id896A47F8E0D34EE5840201F4B05681A1">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>make such
additional incidental dispositions of personnel, assets, liabilities,
grants,
contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations,
authorizations, allocations, and other funds held, used, arising from,
available to, or to be made available in connection with such functions,
as may
be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idD024BB21618245A19F0899015A26676D">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>shall provide
for—</text>
<subparagraph id="id88A4C788A8584B1EAA6AFE4CA64290AA">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>the termination
of the affairs of all entities terminated under this section; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idE66B02CB434F4705A2C74AF2FA49898F">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>such further
measures and dispositions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of
this
section.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id181f07e7660844d38ce2e8bc458369d8">
<enum>(j)</enum>
<header>Effect on
personnel</header>
<paragraph id="id261699c9662c485f8501727da0ff1ff9">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>Except as otherwise provided under this section, the
transfer under this section of full-time personnel (except special
Government
employees) and part-time personnel holding permanent positions shall not
cause
any such employee to be separated or reduced in grade or compensation
during
the 1-year period beginning on the date of such transfer.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id9fd4a809b87b4cef9ab455c3d659efdf">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Executive
schedule positions</header>
<text>Except as otherwise provided under this
section, any person who, on the day preceding the date of the enactment of
this
Act, held a position compensated in accordance with the Executive Schedule
prescribed in <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/53">chapter 53</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, and who, without
a
break in service, is appointed in the Directorate to a position having
duties
comparable to the duties performed immediately preceding such appointment
shall
continue to be compensated in such new position at not less than the rate
provided for such previous position, for the duration of the service of
such
person in such new position.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id9303a4c49b9849fca876865e5b3b8a9d">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Termination of
certain positions</header>
<text>All positions whose functions are transferred
under subsection (b) and whose incumbents have been appointed by the
President,
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall terminate on the
date
of the enactment of this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id038b39d75547405b9764c4f60a3a0641">
<enum>(k)</enum>
<header>Savings
provisions</header>
<paragraph id="id6a602bb022ce461a9bb87a7efcaff5cf">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Continuing
effect of legal documents</header>
<text>All orders, determinations, rules,
regulations, permits, agreements, grants, contracts, certificates,
licenses,
registrations, privileges, and other administrative actions which—</text>
<subparagraph id="idd6d1e29294064f729196f55aea156f4d">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>have been issued,
made, granted, or allowed to become effective by the President, any
Federal
agency or official thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in
the
performance of functions which are transferred under this section; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0df3717c04a749f49153418448e34b6a">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>are in effect on
the date of the enactment of this Act, or were final before such date of
enactment and are to become effective on or after the date of the
enactment of
this Act,</text>
</subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph">shall
continue in effect according to their terms until modified, terminated,
superseded, set aside, or revoked in accordance with law by the President,
the
Associate Director or other authorized official, a court of competent
jurisdiction, or by operation of law.</continuation-text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2553290856cd43baa8c7200ef725494d">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Proceedings not
affected</header>
<text>Nothing in this section may be construed to affect any
proceeding, including a notice of proposed rulemaking, or any application
for
any license, permit, certificate, or financial assistance pending before
the
Department of State on the effective date of this section, with respect to
functions transferred under subsection (b). Orders shall be issued in such
proceedings, appeals shall be taken therefrom, and payments shall be made
pursuant to such orders, as if this section had not been enacted. Orders
issued
in any such proceedings shall continue in effect until modified,
terminated,
superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized official, by a court of
competent
jurisdiction, or by operation of law. Nothing in this paragraph may be
construed to prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such
proceeding
under the same terms and conditions and to the same extent that such
proceeding
could have been discontinued or modified if this section had not been
enacted.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ide55ad225942d4e3f8fc5197ee499cf86">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Suits not
affected</header>
<text>Nothing in this section may be construed to affect suits
commenced before the date of the enactment of this Act. In all such suits,
proceedings shall be had, appeals taken, and judgments rendered in the
same
manner and with the same effect as if this section had not been enacted.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id2ec33e95a982452f9f6abae2c66054a0">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<header>Nonabatement of
actions</header>
<text>No suit, action, or other proceeding commenced by or
against the Department of State, or by or against any individual in the
official capacity of such individual as an officer of the Department of
State,
shall abate by reason of the enactment of this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idc52ed8a827df43dd87bedeb4c8ecac23">
<enum>(5)</enum>
<header>Administrative
actions relating to promulgation of regulations</header>
<text>Any
administrative action relating to the preparation or promulgation of a
regulation by the Department of State relating to a function transferred
under
subsection (b) may be continued by the Directorate with the same effect as
if
this section had not been enacted.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id611a84e6895246d8b633c41bca23955d">
<enum>(l)</enum>
<header>Separability</header>
<text>If
a provision of this section or its application to any person or
circumstance is
held invalid, neither the remainder of this section nor the application of
the
provision to other persons or circumstances shall be affected.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id4ee2548a580a4c57986d2ccc3bab4143">
<enum>(m)</enum>
<header>Transition</header>
<text>The
Associate Director is authorized to utilize—</text>
<paragraph id="id5d03234a348c4b5ebdd5efe12b892b94">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>the services of
such officers, employees, and other personnel of the Department of State
with
respect to functions transferred to the Directorate by this section; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id4d250ecadd6f4ee294025e40b6a7964d">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>funds
appropriated to such functions for such period of time as may reasonably
be
needed to facilitate the orderly implementation of this section.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idffab633a4cb245ef8a1e1d8111d6c6d0">
<enum>(n)</enum>
<header>References</header>
<text>Reference
in any other Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation
of
authority, or any document of or relating to—</text>
<paragraph id="iddb6a8aadc3704567935c7b462fdfc0e9">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>the Secretary of
State with regard to functions transferred under subsection (b), shall be
deemed to refer to the Associate Director; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id9d4f5d38594647bdbe15026910b1b369">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>the Department of
State with regard to functions transferred under subsection (b), shall be
deemed to refer to the Directorate.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id77cd065b0dd74d989253363e9971e40e">
<enum>(o)</enum>
<header>Additional
conforming amendments</header>
<paragraph id="id2901b4cbf80c4e8fb46fe5288d3ed6cc">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Recommended
legislation</header>
<text>After consultation with the appropriate committees of
Congress and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the
Associate
Director shall prepare and submit to Congress recommended legislation
containing technical and conforming amendments to reflect the changes made
by
this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8ea58626cdd9411dae906c23e6a144ad">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Submission to
congress</header>
<text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Associate Director shall submit the recommended
legislation
referred to under paragraph (1) to Congress.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id7E0CAD9FC1DB4CAE89C0165E9C4A7456">
<enum>104.</enum>
<header>Responsibilities
of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for adoption-related case
processing</header>
<subsection id="idEEDF94BFECB14259B39B77AAE6D2D5FA">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the
Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services—</text>
<paragraph id="idBB271EBDB2EE4EBF9E07AE24B0E44EF5">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>shall be
responsible for processing and case-specific decisionmaking on all
intercountry adoption cases (up to the point of application for an
immigrant
visa on behalf of the adopted child), including cases being processed
pursuant
to the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14901">42 U.S.C. 14901 et seq.</external-xref>) and
section
2 of the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (42
U.S.C.
14925);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idA51E9292EF254172B1463CDF84A51B92">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>shall ensure that
all intercountry adoption suitability and eligibility determinations of
prospective adoptive parents required under subparagraph (F) or (G) of
section
101(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1101">8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1)</external-xref>) are
made in
accordance with standard criteria that comply with the Hague Adoption
Convention so that any such determination justifies a Convention adoption
or a
non-Convention adoption;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC6F0103DEC49446CB417F3FF6BA4C367">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text>to the maximum
extent possible, and to the extent permitted by the country in which the
child
resides, shall ensure that all non-Convention adoption cases undergo
preprocessing, including—</text>
<subparagraph id="id6597D4C49EAD4D6D96ED265635BAFAAF">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>the filing of a
petition and the review of a child’s eligibility to immigrate to the
United
States before the adoption or grant of legal custody (for purposes of
emigration and adoption in the United States) of that child is completed
in the
country of origin; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idB89C85C0EB0A479799630CDC576D30AB">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>the completion of
all necessary and relevant investigations associated with the petition
before
the country of origin finalizes the adoption or grants legal custody for
purposes of emigration and adoption in the United States;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idD5FE511129D340DE8DE7760C955D110E">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<text>except as
provided in paragraph (5), shall be responsible for all case processing
steps
in Convention and non-Convention adoption petitions on behalf of children
whom
United States parents propose to immigrate to the United States (except
for the
processing of immigrant visas), including processing of all necessary
Hague
Adoption Convention certifications and the final adjudication of the
immigration petitions; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id3E03D993C1504C84A60365C6FCCBEE81">
<enum>(5)</enum>
<text>may delegate the
responsibility for completing certain elements of case adjudication to the
Secretary of State if the Department of Homeland Security—</text>
<subparagraph id="id06DCBBAB29044E69AEA3A75299B40AE7">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>cannot adequately
complete such elements due to the need for physical presence in the
country of
origin or other processing-related circumstances; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id69BC72343B2346849B044D4DBDF5E67B">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>defines and
monitors the parameters for the elements delegated to the Secretary of
State
and retains final decisionmaking authority.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id3AEC6DA9F7C444D2BBEA4EF5237CB306">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Foreign
adoption decrees</header>
<paragraph id="ide63f23024a5e4ba19be6f4d2cc6f0ea9">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Convention
countries</header>
<text>The 2-year legal custody and joint residence
requirements set forth in section 101(b)(1)(E) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1101">8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1)(E)</external-xref>) shall not apply if the
documentation
submitted on behalf of a child includes—</text>
<subparagraph id="id08e7e087564645dcb86f843de56b40ac">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>an adoption
decree issued by a competent authority (as such term is used in the Hague
Adoption Convention) of the child’s country of origin and evidence that
the
adoption was granted in compliance with the Hague Adoption Convention;
or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc9997262230c4a0684a0fa02c63a9795">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>a custody or
guardianship decree issued by the competent authority of the child’s
country of
origin to the adoptive parents, and a final adoption decree, verifying
that the
adoption of the child was later finalized outside the United States by the
adoptive parents, in addition to evidence that the custody or guardianship
was
granted in compliance with the Hague Adoption Convention.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id1F0FC57074754697845F3AA967B7CC44">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Substantial
compliance with hague adoption convention</header>
<text>Paragraph (1) shall not
apply unless—</text>
<subparagraph id="id4686882B179B48B794782336C0573BD0">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>on the date on
which the underlying adoption, custody, or guardianship decree was issued
by
the child’s country of origin—</text>
<clause id="id7BDE8F61FE854BF997C90CFF6D1E25CD">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>that country’s
adoption procedures complied with the requirements of the Hague Adoption
Convention (as determined by the United States central authority); and</text>
</clause><clause id="id9D260344D3C747C5B09DACB73234E0D3">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>the competent
authority of the country of origin certified that the adoption is
consistent
with Article 23 of the Hague Adoption Convention; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2d6c29fe1a244263a67ae38e2201ebe0">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>the adoption was
a Convention adoption that was completed between 2 Convention countries
other
than the United States.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id22EFF9E19E84448081BDD65B20C0FDA2">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Non-convention
countries</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security may accept the
filing of petitions on behalf of children living in non-Convention
countries in
the absence of a final adoption decree.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idBABE83B3188348D59BE4516E00167140">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Cooperation
with foreign governments</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security may
interact directly with the central authority of a Convention country or a
competent authority of a non-Convention country, as appropriate—</text>
<paragraph id="id219BC0BC89094B0784EC7DBD42064814">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>to facilitate the
processing of intercountry adoption cases, including making habitual
residence
determinations relevant to children and prospective adoptive parents in
adoption proceedings; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id1F2B9E6A91F742BEB3783B61E164ED07">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>to negotiate, in
coordination with the Department of State, and to implement bilateral
agreements with respect to intercountry adoptions.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id953A4A3D3AC04427B41D4BB2925CA945">
<enum>(d)</enum>
<header>Amendments to
the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000</header>
<paragraph id="id0724587893AD48A4BF51879DAC1CFF77">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Transfer of
responsibilities to the Secretary of Homeland Security</header>
<text>The
Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14901">42 U.S.C. 14901 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="id498744C330614434A9C9B05AF3D80F48">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>by striking
<quote>Attorney General</quote> each place it appears and inserting
<quote>Secretary of Homeland Security</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idDF46006E8EC14B0084AB4A1E5280EF3A">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>in the heading of
section 103, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">Attorney General</header-in-text></quote> and inserting
<quote><header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">Secretary of Homeland
Security</header-in-text></quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id7F0F80F59B5C42C49CF1AC8C58E0B491">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Hague
convention certificates</header>
<text>Section 301 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14931">42 U.S.C. 14931</external-xref>)
is amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="id58E208BFD5864F98BBC69BE0697F860A">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>in subsection
(a)—</text>
<clause id="idB8A583D16FCA46C5B0B3CB78D1F57E50">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>in
the subsection heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Secretary of State</header-in-text></quote> and inserting
<quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">Secretary of Homeland
Security</header-in-text></quote>; and</text>
</clause><clause id="idDE9905198F4447AA81EF1169EDCC1011">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>in
the heading to paragraph (1), by striking <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">Secretary of State</header-in-text></quote> and
inserting <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">Secretary of
Homeland Security</header-in-text></quote>; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idE016D6823EB640C8B2C7373E9D1693F5">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>by striking
<quote>Secretary of State</quote> each place it appears and inserting
<quote>Secretary of Homeland Security</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id7BB6DB3F655F495586D6E013CE44ACA0">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Clerical
amendment</header>
<text>The table of contents of such Act is amended by
striking the item relating to section 103 and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="id730B1675FC3F462A8B1F268BD717C963" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 103. Responsibilities of the
Secretary of Homeland
Security.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8CFCB9E8BB87497698B17499912DBC62">
<enum>(e)</enum>
<header>Definition of
child</header>
<text>Section 101(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(b)(1)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="id99BC07E6C9F74B8AAA4A196435A44142">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>in subparagraph
(E)—</text>
<subparagraph id="idA36BD928B7E946A39E92620D75E00319">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>in clause (i), by
striking <quote>(i) a child adopted while under the age of sixteen
years</quote> and inserting <quote>a child adopted while younger than 18 years
of age</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idF1CDEF2C69BE447F97D0BB8920DCF2FD">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>by striking
clause (ii);</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idA2A7A1CCE4134E89842A51F35100223C">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>by amending
subparagraph (F) to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5BA70979259F4D90B1DD10E90FF8A019" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="id9D953FA32DAD4731A226E79A0B2787C9">
<enum>(F)</enum>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id69D29DC9DC544F40AB9C12C395641AEF"><enum>(i)</enum>
<text>a child, younger than
18 years of age at the time a petition is filed on the child's
behalf to accord
a classification as an immediate relative under section 201(b), and
who has
been adopted in a foreign state that is not a party to the
Convention on
Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry
Adoption,
done at The Hague May 29, 1993, or who is emigrating from such a
foreign state
to be adopted in the United States by a United States citizen and
spouse
jointly, or by an unmarried United States citizen who is at least
25 years of
age, if—</text>
<subclause id="idE983ADDAD2BD48EC8BCB06CE1B2A8997" indent="up1">
<enum>(I)</enum>
<text>the Secretary of Homeland Security is
satisfied that proper care will be furnished the child if admitted
to the
United States;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idC976C538654C4F7595416C1D7E9D6705" indent="up1">
<enum>(II)</enum>
<text>the child’s natural parents (or parent,
in the case of a child who has 1 sole or surviving parent), or
other persons or
institutions that retain legal custody of the child, have freely
given their
written irrevocable consent to the termination of their legal
relationship with
the child, and to the child's emigration and adoption;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idCE0DCFC4DAC840A28DC222D8FAA54B10" indent="up1">
<enum>(III)</enum>
<text>the child has a living parent or
parents who has or have relinquished, or will relinquish, the child
voluntarily
for the purposes of intercountry adoption, and the parent or
parents are
incapable of providing proper care for the child;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id80CF49D910804FB2B5E61483569D98BA" indent="up1">
<enum>(IV)</enum>
<text>the Secretary of Homeland Security,
after considering whether there is a petition pending to confer
immigrant
status on 1 or both natural parents, is satisfied that the purpose
of the
adoption is to form a bona fide parent-child relationship, and the
parent-child
relationship of the child and the natural parents has been
terminated;
and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id8D259864AFF942E0B186121043B2F1AB" indent="up1">
<enum>(V)</enum>
<text>in the case of a child who has not been
adopted—</text>
<item id="id6DE58FA9D552412485844E2FE1B7D8D1">
<enum>(aa)</enum>
<text>the competent authority of the
foreign state has approved the child’s emigration to the United
States for the
purpose of adoption by the prospective adoptive parent or parents;
and</text>
</item><item id="id70CCF7B7755649B7841395BFB5F177DF">
<enum>(bb)</enum>
<text>the prospective adoptive parent or
parents has or have complied with any preadoption requirements of
the child’s
proposed residence; and</text>
</item></subclause></clause><clause id="id8F032FD97E2F43A29C179394C3373A65" indent="up1">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>except that no natural parent or
prior adoptive parent of any such child shall thereafter, by virtue
of such
parentage, be accorded any right, privilege, or status under this
chapter;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;
and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idBA925AA32213462DA5E5FE5D2574BAB0">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text>in subparagraph
(G)—</text>
<subparagraph id="idFF8FC386FB294805BAEC909C11A0F2E0">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>in the matter
preceding clause (i), by striking <quote>16</quote> and inserting
<quote>18</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idD5B313907B3342079E22161072560654">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>in clause
(i)—</text>
<clause id="id63C6031E6972444AA6275534860D7EFD">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>in
subclause (II), by striking <quote>because of the death or disappearance of,
abandonment or desertion by, the other parent</quote>; and</text>
</clause><clause id="idCF2F1530A68A43C6B55C1C02E7133119">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>in
subclause (III), by striking <quote>two living natural parents, the natural
parents are</quote> and inserting <quote>a living parent or parents, who have
relinquished or will relinquish the child voluntarily for the purposes of
intercountry adoption, the parent or parents are</quote>;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id14421DBF2F404639A23AB504F2936786">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>in clause (ii),
by striking <quote>; or</quote> and inserting a period; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idF4E2B9BAE83E415CB7F0EBEC3DCE3E46">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>by striking
clause (iii).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idfa6463a18aab4566b7c4a9ef691559d2">
<enum>(f)</enum>
<header>Relative
adoptions; waiver authority</header>
<text>Section 502 of the Intercountry
Adoption Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14952">42 U.S.C. 14952</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida66ce4a684114d06a7aaf4b14c21e7d9" style="OLC">
<subsection id="id25fc3348242f40b39d7ed580179c0ae9">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>Authority To
establish alternative procedures for adoption of children by
relatives</header>
<text>Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment
of the <short-title>Children in Families First Act of 2014</short-title>, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish, by
regulation, alternative procedures for completing the intercountry
adoption of
children by United States citizens who are related to such children
by blood,
marriage, or adoption.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id885EC68257404983977D9A433BE98803">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Waiver
authority</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the
Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, may waive,
on a
case-by-case basis, applicable requirements for meeting the
definition of a
child under subparagraph (E), (F), or (G) of section 101(b)(1) of
the
Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1101">8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1)</external-xref>), or
regulations issued
with respect to such definitions, in the interests of justice or to
prevent or
respond to the threat of grave physical or emotional harm to the
child if the
petitioner establishes that—</text>
<paragraph id="idEC3D981D566940EA93414582C1A6763C">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>the child
substantially complies with the requirements under 1 of such
subparagraphs;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idBAEF9D5FFF7B4199B297738C2D43CEF6">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>such a waiver
would be in the child’s best
interests.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="id35c491901f1847379e72f1e265abef7a">
<enum>(g)</enum>
<header>Determination
of applicability of the Hague Adoption Convention in certain
cases</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the
Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, may determine, on a
case-by-case basis, that a specific intercountry adoption case may proceed
as a
non-Convention adoption if—</text>
<paragraph id="id301bfc324fa2432aa9cb9bb3480bb143">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>the child’s
country of origin or habitual residence is a Convention country;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id7f7e5fbff54b4cafb6d15aecee847bc9">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>the central
authority of the child’s country of origin or habitual residence has
issued, or
will issue, an adoption decree which that country considers to be legal
and
valid under that country’s laws to the United States adoptive or
prospective
adoptive parents; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id5610ea680f104faeb9a96ce2ee1da97b">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text>the central
authority of the child’s country of origin or habitual residence has
informed
the Secretary or the Director that it does not consider the specific case
to
fall within the scope of the Hague Adoption Convention.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="iddf7a9240f95e4b5786bf4bcfd0c8c335">
<enum>(h)</enum>
<header>Special use of
parole authority</header>
<paragraph id="idda912ccedd574f0caa31aea394eae38d">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the
Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, may grant parole to
a
child if the Secretary or the Director determines that—</text>
<subparagraph id="idc0ed2aa83e38404a92135fb3b8893331">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>the child’s
circumstances indicate that immediate unification with the parties seeking
parole is in the child’s best interests;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0A3ADE967FE443E081A00F8011888DB6">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>waiting to
complete other, more time consuming immigration processing could be
significantly harmful to the child’s well-being;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id44d8017d540744eca00d18a30d2021c3">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>the party or
parties seeking parole on behalf of the child—</text>
<clause id="idC381FE7EFBA14EFDB319ECB1C8F10861">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>have a
pre-existing legal relationship with the child, as evidenced by an
adoption
decree or a custody order; or</text>
</clause><clause id="idDE7EAF59E6C54C6183B78D34BC952512">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>demonstrate a
pre-existing relationship with the child and an intent to establish a
legal
relationship with the child, which may be evidenced by—</text>
<subclause id="id0f33bffe759a4868b4bddabdb8f7f6ce">
<enum>(I)</enum>
<text>a familial
relationship with the child;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id129b984f0de840bd8f322b92df77ae9c">
<enum>(II)</enum>
<text>a close personal
relationship with the child, such as—</text>
<item id="id4C165570BD2341C589169CE8CE4DD032">
<enum>(aa)</enum>
<text>being matched
with the child for an international adoption by an adoption service
provider or
the competent authority of the child’s country of origin; or</text>
</item><item id="id2FC8DD9520324CCABD61943E3582BD30">
<enum>(bb)</enum>
<text>documentation
showing that the child’s parents, if deceased or otherwise incapacitated
and
unable to provide proper care for the child, intended for the parties
seeking
parole to take custody of the child; or</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="id567e36db8aad4061868f328c289ea210">
<enum>(III)</enum>
<text>the filing of
adoption-related applications or petitions related to the adoption of the
child; and</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida4f693745327457faef3bddc4bce3c38">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>the child will
receive proper care in the United States by the party or parties who seek
parole on behalf of the child, based on a review of the suitability of the
party or parties, which may include background check or completion of a
home
study conducted by a competent authority.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ideafb5e0803d843579d743026a7e919d0">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Meeting the
2-year periods for the purposes of filing an immediate relative petition
on
behalf of an adopted child</header>
<text>If a child is granted parole under
paragraph (1), is subsequently adopted by the parties who sought parole,
and
such parties seek permanent immigration status for the child under section
101(b)(1)(E) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(b)(1)(E))—</text>
<subparagraph id="id1f3a278791fb46fc852f93ab5c8da3c1">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>the 2-year period
for legal custody of the child shall begin to accrue on the effective date
of a
grant of custody in the child’s country of origin or habitual residence or
in
the United States;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3c9584e59d214691a1656058fd14a650">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>the 2-year period
for physical custody of the child shall begin to accrue on the date on
which
the party or parties seeking parole for the child begin joint residence
with
the child, in the child’s country of origin or habitual residence or in
the
United States; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id90c5aa4e208541fb8ede54dd6333bd1f">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>the 2-year
periods of joint residence and legal custody may accrue within or outside
the
United States.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0EC9B9878B35404DAF2F76E794395AD2">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<header>Rulemaking</header>
<text>The
Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of
State and
the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, shall issue
regulations to carry out this section and the amendments made by this
section.</text>
</subsection></section>
<enum>II</enum>
<header>Annual
reporting</header>
<section id="idfc32de0c78514a8788f1a2337f0f101e">
<enum>201.</enum>
<header>Annual report
on children living without families</header>
<subsection id="ide52a92efa6404550806f071d64d15a10">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>Not later than September 30, 2014, and annually
thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Director of
the
United States Agency for International Development and the Secretary of
State,
shall submit a report to the <committee-name committee-id="SSFR00">Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate</committee-name> and the
<committee-name committee-id="">Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives</committee-name> that—</text>
<paragraph id="id061DC8E1B4D1490A8AD6A14516069CE6">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>identifies the
number of children living without families; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC6EABA17C4754354A1F0C15EC295A02E">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>describes the
degree to which the various family permanence solutions are being
utilized.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ide119dd0530cd45e1aeb1247db46e6f06">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Content</header>
<text>The
report required under subsection (a) shall include—</text>
<paragraph id="id9c186fb44e894f42bd0f129e31eab63b">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>a description of
the world’s unparented children, including—</text>
<subparagraph id="id265c7dbbf274412f805b4d840a63329c">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>a description and
quantitative analysis of the world’s unparented children by country,
identifying the nationality of the children physically present in each
country
and distinguishing among children who are citizens of the country,
noncitizen
children lawfully present in the country, and noncitizen children
unlawfully in
the country, irrespective of a child’s particular immigration status; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idb201381ba97e43779fbbffb233d91837">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>available data
about such children broken into detailed categories and including—</text>
<clause id="id0ca69d2ad330418e873994c653a61a3b">
<enum>(i)</enum>
<text>information on
their nationality, age, gender, and status;</text>
</clause><clause id="idfb13f44ff91445e1920f8d6c2d7db8ac">
<enum>(ii)</enum>
<text>whether they
have a living parent or parents and the status of those parents;</text>
</clause><clause id="id86cbe0345e384dae83ea54e8cdcf3c13">
<enum>(iii)</enum>
<text>whether the
unparented children are considered abandoned, separated, relinquished, or
have
some other status;</text>
</clause><clause id="id9ab65964681e4c53989bc6a7713ae7e0">
<enum>(iv)</enum>
<text>whether they are
institutionalized or homeless;</text>
</clause><clause id="idf9da7181b6be4800997d4a074bfa6b1c">
<enum>(v)</enum>
<text>information on
how they are documented, including through birth registries, orphanage
registries, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees registration, or
identity cards; and</text>
</clause><clause id="id6533204527364ff397f0aabc0472c257">
<enum>(vi)</enum>
<text>an
assessment of their living conditions based on indicators such as crude
mortality rate, malnutrition rate, or other similar indicators;</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id5a34ee1d823743889320e9a019e47a44">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>a review of the
previous fiscal year’s programming in support of appropriate, protective,
and
permanent family care solutions, including project descriptions for each
project by country, goals of each project, amount awarded for each
project, and
evaluation of outcomes during the fiscal year;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idc37f851e2a914afe886771e944875d52">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text>an action plan
covering proposed programming and activities for the next fiscal year in
support of family permanency solutions, including goals for each country
in
which programming will occur, proposed allocations of resources by
country,
types of projects proposed by country, amounts of awards proposed for each
project, and desired outcomes for each country;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id81aea6d18bb743d0993681311730101a">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<text>a review of
trends over the last five years, including changes in the numbers and
locations
of unparented children and the reasons for the changes, such as new
refugee
arrivals, growing numbers of children abandoned at birth, and decreases in
number of children in institutions;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id048d22236ac641c29d984c9763f6496f">
<enum>(5)</enum>
<text>an overall
analysis of highest priority situations of concern for unparented
children,
including analysis of whether the children are in a location that provides
a
cooperative environment for assistance programming and intercountry
adoptions;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id13439a5f35f74346815e84723e0f0667">
<enum>(6)</enum>
<text>a description of
how intercountry adoption and refugee resettlement for unparented refugee
children has played a role in each country over the last 10 years and the
current status of such programs, including analysis of the situation with
respect to the Hague Adoption Convention and how the Convention has
affected
intercountry adoptions from the country;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idd6107b991efc43d5a1a7fa70270482e8">
<enum>(7)</enum>
<text>aggregate
reporting on intercountry adoptions to the United States, distinguishing
between Convention adoptions and non-Convention adoptions and including—</text>
<subparagraph id="ida0cfeb709244408daf61ee4a6e457b42">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>the total number
of intercountry adoptions involving immigration to the United States by
year
over the past 10 years and projected data for the next fiscal year,
distinguishing between Convention and non-Convention adoptions, including
aggregate data on the country from which each child emigrated, the State
of
residence of the adoptive parents, and the country in which the adoption
was
finalized;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcfd55c06eec247a58c2e8092f0816df5">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>the number of
intercountry adoptions involving emigration from the United States,
regardless
of whether the adoption occurred under the Convention and distinguishing
between Convention and non-Convention adoptions, including the country to
which
each child immigrated and the State from which each child emigrated;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id86d64703101b40a5ab563ac06a9b7f55">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>the average time
required for completion of the immigration portion of intercountry
adoptions,
distinguishing between Convention and non-Convention adoptions, calculated
as
the time between filing of the initial immigration-related adoption
petition on
behalf of a child and the approval of that child’s immigrant visa; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide922734b5b584ad6a70b0ac087a7edf0">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>the range of
adoption fees charged in connection with intercountry adoptions involving
immigration to the United States and the median of such fees; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idb592c2ddf9364e739c1dd5b5123da739">
<enum>(8)</enum>
<text>such additional
information as may be requested by members of the
<committee-name committee-id="SSFR00">Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate</committee-name> and the <committee-name committee-id="">Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives</committee-name>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id3c8495fdf859443ab1192bc6385d90b3">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Consultations</header>
<text>To
the extent possible, designated representatives of the President should
meet
with members of the <committee-name committee-id="SSFR00">Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate</committee-name> and the
<committee-name committee-id="">Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives</committee-name> not later than 2 weeks before the Secretary of
State submits the report required under subsection (a) to discuss the
information described in subsection (b). The substance of such
consultations
should be printed in the Congressional Record.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id9C44D5D52F794065BD59A7B2185ECC84">
<enum>(d)</enum>
<header>Repeal</header>
<text>Section
104 of the Intercountry Adoption Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/14914">42 U.S.C. 14914</external-xref>) is repealed.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="id9E7FEFD27CE248EFBEB1536E2AD39AD6">
<enum>202.</enum>
<header>Country
reports regarding severe forms of trafficking</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 502B(h)(1)(B) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/2304">22 U.S.C. 2304(h)(1)(B)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at
the
end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id7C594BDEE3514214BCFF65E938EE84A0" style="OLC">
<clause id="id52b00351b0b747baad555c60e90a9c22" indent="up1">
<enum>(x)</enum>
<text>What steps the government of that
country has taken to reduce the number of children living outside
of family
care.</text>
</clause><clause id="id810841c03a174a18ba658aac380c2ad9" indent="up1">
<enum>(xi)</enum>
<text>What steps the government of that
country has taken to reduce the number of children abused,
neglected, or
exploited.</text>
</clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section>
<enum>III</enum>
<header>Promotion of a
comprehensive approach for children in adversity</header>
<section id="id5C3F67EFFF104358A542756AFE65A703">
<enum>301.</enum>
<header>Establishment
of a USAID Center for Excellence for Children in Adversity</header>
<subsection id="id1102dfa79c6e4e0283568f31d4afb874">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>Center for
Excellence for Children in Adversity</header>
<paragraph id="id40592f463d9a4a378c4877783b02f7a6">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>There is established within the United States Agency for
International Development a Center of Excellence on Children in
Adversity.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id2dae54cab2a0460080f05748c629ce07">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Coordinator</header>
<text>The
Center for Excellence shall be headed by the Children in Adversity
Coordinator,
who shall be appointed by the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id1dd7570e4fa0420f959f8aa1412ecd3f">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Objectives</header>
<text>The
Center of Excellence on Children in Adversity shall work in consultation
with
the Ambassador-at-Large of the Office of Vulnerable Children and Family
Security of the Department of State to promote greater United States
Government
coherence and accountability for whole-of-government assistance to
children in
adversity and ensure that United States foreign assistance and development
programs are focused on the following objectives:</text>
<subparagraph id="idad4d84b42c814757a3ac0b2e6f607e0f">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>The sound
development of children through the integration of health, nutrition, and
family support.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7a46236e65ba470f998660f25ad27749">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>Supporting and
enabling families to care for children through family preservation,
reunification, and support of kinship care, guardianship, and domestic and
intercountry adoption.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc2ee52cedb354c66804ad326f6e493a6">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>Facilitating the
efforts of national governments and partners to prevent, respond to, and
protect children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id4fae951f3dc24b03b84c9c3cc7fa73c8">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<header>Authorities</header>
<text>The
Children in Adversity Coordinator, acting through nongovernmental
organizations
(including faith-based and community-based organizations), partner country
finance, health, education, social welfare, and other ministries, and
relevant
executive branch agencies, is authorized to—</text>
<subparagraph id="ida9ac085571d94f4ebff7843c3d26e165">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>operate
internationally to carry out the programs and activities outlined in the
Action
Plan for Children in Adversity;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id455302f5581545eabb055e52cb4c007f">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>provide grants
to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with,
nongovernmental
organizations (including faith-based organizations) to carry out this
section;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7c87f4d54cd146449f028d3ff1a37d74">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>transfer and
allocate United States Agency for International Development funds that
have
been appropriated for the purposes described in subparagraphs (A) and
(B).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idab9fb19f08d647f389dc0a5c81474253">
<enum>(5)</enum>
<header>Functions</header>
<text>In
consultation with the Ambassador-at-Large of the Office of Vulnerable
Children and Family Security in
the Department of State, the Children in Adversity Coordinator shall,
through
the Center of Excellence—</text>
<subparagraph id="id0ca721bc3b244a789a94a094afac55ad">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>facilitate
program and policy coordination related to the goals and objectives of the
Action Plan for Children in Adversity among relevant executive branch
agencies
and nongovernmental organizations by auditing, monitoring, and evaluating
such
programs;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id97c96ca1835749ca83817d66529007be">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>ensure that each
relevant executive branch agency undertakes responsibility for activities
related primarily to those areas in which the agency has the greatest
expertise, technical capability, and potential for success;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id722baf1e1b8a412a8ba1fa8b65efad2e">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>coordinate
relevant executive branch agency activities related to the Action Plan for
Children in Adversity;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id62a2a2f45bc74cb68430de9e76041577">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>establish due
diligence criteria for all recipients of funds appropriated by the United
States Government for assistance to children in adversity; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idedf3f57a13c749d3bd733a7ecd9d6af0">
<enum>(E)</enum>
<text>oversee the
administration of the priority country demonstration program as described
in
subsection (f).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id96c57581bf96425eab4f9319e62c21e2">
<enum>(6)</enum>
<header>Assistance</header>
<text>The
President is authorized to provide assistance, including through
international,
nongovernmental, or faith-based organizations, for programs in developing
countries—</text>
<subparagraph id="id29df2e0601524421ab2705aa63ed805d">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>to increase the
percentage of children achieving age-appropriate growth and developmental
milestones;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id885448db2e7a43e4afaa181cdbc6289f">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>to increase the
percentage of children under 5 years of age demonstrating secure
attachment
with a primary caregiver;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2675a6544f9446fd8461ff9d49a7eb2b">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>to integrate
health, nutrition, developmental protections, and caregiving support for
vulnerable children and their families;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idd0c8f7bad6134be9a8869ada17fae293">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>to increase the
percentage of children living within appropriate, permanent, safe, and
protective family care, through family preservation and reunification, and
through kinship care, guardianship, and domestic and intercountry
adoption, and
to reduce the percentage of children living in institutions;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0bcda7247d59447f83f5b8484e8efc65">
<enum>(E)</enum>
<text>to increase the
percentage of families providing adequate nutrition, education
opportunities,
care, and protection for their children;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide6a9d31c660f4465a61f1aa1ce0f4abb">
<enum>(F)</enum>
<text>to reduce the
percentage of children who experience violence, exploitation, abuse, and
neglect;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide889d41810c949a18f727e5acfa68630">
<enum>(G)</enum>
<text>to increase the
percentage of children who receive appropriate care and protection after
experiencing violence, exploitation, abuse, or neglect;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="iddbeeefe43f0942f897eda6967090f35e">
<enum>(H)</enum>
<text>to increase
public awareness that violence, exploitation, abuse, or neglect of
children as
unacceptable;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide4f00e7e78854beaa362cda023e14bd8">
<enum>(I)</enum>
<text>to increase the
percentage of countries that ratify and implement relevant conventions or
formally adopt internationally recognized principles, standards, and
procedural
safeguards to protect children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and
neglect;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0dacb34ffb3845219c4b0c5d6356cd2c">
<enum>(J)</enum>
<text>to increase the
percentage of children who have legal documentation and birth
registration;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id93dec51adb38455589f5a0909349f680">
<enum>(K)</enum>
<text>to increase the
number of laws, policies, and practices in partner states that promote and
strengthen child welfare and protection at household, community, and
national
levels is increased;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id876bdae53b7a4de089d9b85db514c557">
<enum>(L)</enum>
<text>to increase
national and local human resource capacity for child welfare and
protection;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0dfef6b85996468083ea7f026de406fd">
<enum>(M)</enum>
<text>to increase the
number of national and community systems effectively monitoring child
welfare
and protection concerns, programs, and outcomes;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idb92db3d57129448ea5897ce781f0f523">
<enum>(N)</enum>
<text>to encourage and
assist in the collection of data related to children outside of family
care;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id610cfd1a52c64ecdb0b455571b3d7de9">
<enum>(O)</enum>
<text>to increase the
number of prevalence studies that measure and track trends in children’s
exposure to violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5b3a80fc53204e54b60132184c2bc2b9">
<enum>(P)</enum>
<text>to increase the
number of published outcome/impact evaluations on interventions to assist
children outside of family care or minimize exposure to violence,
exploitation,
abuse, and neglect that can be generalized to larger target groups;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id02ac957ed81e48338b7c1d2e0aa453a9">
<enum>(Q)</enum>
<text>to increase the
number of national governments and universities leading rigorous data
collection, research, and monitoring and evaluation studies related to
child
welfare and protection; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idf16a5778584e4b8e821edc4041d33b50">
<enum>(R)</enum>
<text>to increase the
number of United States Government-supported interventions for children in
adversity designed using data from rigorous research methodologies.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idddc21420b3e6476d8facd1b96f9a6790">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Monitoring and
evaluation</header>
<paragraph id="id52ddd7cb4691492b99334e8ea6feedc3">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Establishment
of system</header>
<text>To maximize the sustainable development impact of
assistance authorized under this section, and pursuant to the primary
objective
of the Action Plan for Children in Adversity, the President shall
establish a
monitoring and evaluation system to measure the effectiveness of United
States
assistance to children in adversity.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id60ba80921a934fadadc44a4d0c842c43">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Requirements</header>
<text>The
monitoring and evaluation system shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="id082279ae18ce425d93944d014056d701">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>be aligned with
the objectives and outcomes outlined by the Action Plan for Children in
Adversity; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3252adb0b36648dbb830a3b19b4fe3b9">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>provide a basis
for recommendations for adjustments to the assistance provided under this
part.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idd00ec1f2ea3a4466a1158652131d31ab">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Priority
Country Demonstration Program</header>
<paragraph id="idc4d4779c24e04047a74d6b4ed972a9ff">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>In
general</header>
<text>The Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development, in consultation with the Secretary of State,
shall
establish and carry out a priority country demonstration program
implementing
the Action Plan for Children in Adversity over a period of 5 years in at
least
6 countries.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idf7aaed8cd0f44fbe8f8d829e7a9b1ea2">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Purposes</header>
<text>The
purposes of the programs established under subparagraph (1) shall be—</text>
<subparagraph id="idc734870e6b7349b3bbe30aab12585b79">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>to demonstrate
how research-based policies and programs to achieve the core objectives of
the
Action Plan for Children in Adversity can be successfully implemented on a
national level;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id42e16feae8b94e9cac561052944b4aaa">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>to establish
model programs that, once tested for efficacy, will be available for
replication on a global basis;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id09faf35adf3d4e9ebcd740010e20c6f9">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>to identify a
comprehensive series of interventions which result in meeting the outcomes
and
objectives of the Action Plan for Children in Adversity; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3a3aba32181a45bea8c67a94c6ea5c8b">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>to determine
which in-country factors advance or negate the successful achievement of
the
outcomes and objectives of the action plan.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idf31f5979146f4447a098d51ba34bec5a">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>Criteria for
selection of countries</header>
<text>The criteria for selection of countries
shall include—</text>
<subparagraph id="idd033b4cc6585476da85cfe75e490eb5a">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text>magnitude and
severity of the problems to be addressed;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id022c9467ce7943efb7a1abd317c9975c">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text>partner country
interest in participation in a comprehensive implementation of all 3 goals
of
the Action Plan for Children in Adversity, including, with respect to the
second objective (Families First), expressed willingness to support the
full
complement of permanence solutions (including family preservation,
reunification, kinship care, guardianship, and domestic and intercountry
adoption), and commitments to support and allow monitoring and evaluation,
as
well as transparent reporting;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id30c47d1681b14aab8e8f54254e461289">
<enum>(C)</enum>
<text>potential to
leverage bilateral, multilateral, and foundation investments;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc49a8d0e25cc44f1b40da1a431e9489c">
<enum>(D)</enum>
<text>potential to
leverage other United States development investments;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc1c07f37283c48428bc7f02975074d94">
<enum>(E)</enum>
<text>regional
diversity to maximize learning opportunities; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6cdbe0559e0243b7aec666e3d76e8969">
<enum>(F)</enum>
<text>level of economic
development, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8A6A6DD3F05845DC856BD0680EE2B0F4">
<enum>(d)</enum>
<header>Repeals</header>
<paragraph id="idA2E32FCBA0FD4B44BC46B9C606A15E9E">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Assistance to
orphans and other vulnerable children</header>
<text>Section 135 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/2152f">22 U.S.C. 2152f</external-xref>) is repealed.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC3B2B7F67625483FB25417D082BC86E6">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Annual
report</header>
<text>Section 5 of the Assistance for Orphans and Other
Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/2152g">22 U.S.C. 2152g</external-xref>)
is
hereby repealed.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section>
<enum>IV</enum>
<header>Funding and effective dates</header>
<section id="id0B79761145C94CE59E6FBB16C6F98990">
<enum>401.</enum>
<header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><subsection id="iddc33a2c996ca4161adb29e37ca40beb8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition on new appropriations</header><paragraph id="id23663F037D284CDFA8EC4CFADA225C94"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Nothing in this Act may be construed as authorizing additional funds to be appropriated to carry
out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id31B3020EA0144781A0BB915462369DB8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Use of existing funds</header><text>This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall be carried out using amounts otherwise
available for such purposes, including unobligated balances of funds made
available to carry out activities under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/2151">22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id4fa0c74f4cf34592bf006a3ab36831b4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Limitations on use of funds</header><paragraph id="idd8f2ad6ab2524c20b077375094e3fde1"><enum>(1)</enum><header>United nations</header><text>No funds obligated in accordance with this Act may be awarded to the United Nations or any of its
subsidiaries.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id83861ce0f0934a1abc747a3ea4dabff6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Segregated services</header><text>No funds obligated in accordance with this Act may be awarded for building, renovating, or
refurbishing residential facilities that segregate children with
disabilities from society. The limitation under this paragraph does not
prohibit funding for small, community-based group homes that house up to 6
children.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id55F6D1632FAA48378ACA034D21AC44C5"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Administrative expenses</header><text>Not more than 2 percent of the amounts described in subsection (a)(2) may be used for
administrative expenses.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idb107a10fc98648d38e9cb05ca7f296e2">
<enum>(c)</enum>
<header>Focus of
assistance</header>
<text>Assistance provided under this Act—</text>
<paragraph id="idAABB6102CA1E4D3C98C0B47E4F46EB5F">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text>shall focus
primarily on promoting international child welfare, as set forth in this
Act,
for all children in adversity; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idDDC878492AFA43EAA7A98AB67B04750B">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text>may be provided
on such terms and conditions as the President determines appropriate.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idAA01F188A054418891CB55021ADD0B88">
<enum>402.</enum>
<header>Effective dates</header>
<subsection id="id265B224E5E92454EB2288256C5894186">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>Effective upon enactment</header>
<text>Sections 104 and 202 and titles III and IV shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this
Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id62AA6533041640CA82C57C5FDAAB0E27">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Delayed effective date</header>
<text>Sections 101, 102, 103, and 201 shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act.</text>
</subsection></section>