3.0.0 2532 2023-01-11T13:36:43Z 2023-01-11T13:36:43Z House HR 2017-05-18 115 [Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 86 (Thursday, May 18, 2017)]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Ms. GRANGER:H.R. 2532.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the United StatesConstitution that the Congress shall have power to make alllaws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying intoexecution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vestedby this Constitution in the government of the United States,or in any department or officer thereof.[Page H4359]]]> hsfa00 Foreign Affairs Committee House Standing Referred to 2017-05-18T14:01:45Z Vulnerable Children and Families Act of 2017 115 1178 S 2017-05-18 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Identical bill CRS 2017-05-18 Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. IntroReferral H11100 2 House floor actions hsfa00 Foreign Affairs Committee 2017-05-18 Introduced in House IntroReferral Intro-H 9 Library of Congress 2017-05-18 Introduced in House IntroReferral 1000 9 Library of Congress G000377 Rep. Granger, Kay [R-TX-12] KAY GRANGER R TX 12 N L000581 Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14] Brenda Lawrence D MI L. 14 2017-05-18 True F000448 Rep. Franks, Trent [R-AZ-8] Trent Franks R AZ 8 2017-05-19 False S000244 Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5] F. SENSENBRENNER R WI JAMES 5 2017-05-23 False T000472 Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41] Mark Takano D CA 41 2017-06-08 False B001284 Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5] Susan Brooks R IN W. 5 2017-06-08 False O000168 Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22] Pete Olson R TX 22 2017-06-12 False H001045 Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3] Gregg Harper R MS 3 2017-06-12 False M000312 Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] JAMES MCGOVERN D MA P. 2 2017-06-27 False R000592 Rep. Rokita, Todd [R-IN-4] Todd Rokita R IN 4 2017-07-27 False R000604 Rep. Russell, Steve [R-OK-5] Steve Russell R OK 5 2017-07-27 False A000371 Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-31] Pete Aguilar D CA 31 2018-08-17 False International Affairs Adoption and foster care Child care and development Child health Child safety and welfare Congressional oversight Department of State Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad Domestic violence and child abuse Executive agency funding and structure Family relationships Family services Federal officials Foreign aid and international relief Human rights International law and treaties Nutrition and diet International Affairs 00 2017-05-18 Introduced in House 2017-06-10T14:04:51Z Vulnerable Children and Families Act of 2017

This bill redesignates the Office of Children's Issues of the Department of State as the Office of Vulnerable Children and Family Security (VCFS).

The President shall appoint an Ambassador-at-Large to promote: (1) oversight of the VCFS; (2) the implementation in foreign countries of child welfare laws and policies in keeping with the goals of the United States Government Action Plan on Children in Adversity; and (3) addressing the gap in U.S. diplomacy, policy, and operations regarding permanent family care for children living without families.

The Ambassador-at-Large shall: (1) advise the State Department and the President about vulnerable children and family security in foreign countries; (2) represent the United States regarding international child welfare, family preservation and reunification, and provision of permanent, safe parental care; (3) develop related policies and programs; and (4) submit an annual report on implementation of such action plan.

The bill provides the VCFS with lead responsibility for: (1) representing the U.S. government regarding intercountry adoptions, and (2) determining whether a country has met its obligations under the Hague Convention of Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-Country Adoption and is eligible to participate in intercountry adoptions in accordance with U.S. law.

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to: (1) include in the annual country reports on human rights practices information on the conditions of children living in orphanages and group homes, and (2) repeal certain provisions providing assistance for orphans and other vulnerable children.

The Special Advisor for Assistance to Orphans and Vulnerable Children shall work with the Ambassador-at-Large to ensure that U.S. assistance and development programs are focused on:

  • child development through the integration of health, nutrition, and family support;
  • facilitating government efforts to protect children from violence, exploitation, and neglect;
  • building integrated child welfare and protection systems; and
  • integrating such objectives with U.S. government agencies.
]]> Vulnerable Children and Families Act of 2017 Display Title Vulnerable Children and Families Act of 2017 Official Title as Introduced To realign structures and reallocate resources in the Federal Government in keeping with the core belief that families are the best protection for children and the bedrock of any society to bolster United States diplomacy targeted at ensuring that every child can grow up in a permanent, safe, nurturing, and loving family, and to ensure that intercountry adoption to the United States becomes a viable and fully developed option for providing families for children in need, and for other purposes. Introduced in House IH Short Titles as Introduced Vulnerable Children and Families Act of 2017 Introduced in House 2017-05-18T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-115hr2532ih/xml/BILLS-115hr2532ih.xml 2017-05-18 Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. 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. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.