I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6521 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 14, 2010 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Royce, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Mack, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. Inglis, Mr. Bilirakis, and Mr. Gallegly) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To protect girls in developing countries through the prevention of child marriage, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the International Prevention of Child Marriage Act of 2010.

2.

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that— (1)child marriage is a violation of human rights and the prevention and elimination of child marriage should be a foreign policy goal of the United States; (2)the practice of child marriage undermines United States investments in foreign assistance to promote education and skills building for girls, reduce maternal and child mortality, reduce maternal illness, halt the transmission of HIV/AIDS, prevent gender-based violence, and reduce poverty; and (3)educational opportunities for girls, economic opportunities for women, and reducing maternal and child mortality are critical to achieving the global health and development objectives of the United States, including efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS.

3.

Prevention of child marriage in developing countries

(a)

Strategy required

The President, acting through the Secretary of State, shall establish a multi-year strategy to prevent child marriage in developing countries and to promote the empowerment of girls at risk of child marriage in developing countries. (b)

Consultation

In carrying out subsection (a), the President shall— (1)consult with Congress, relevant Federal departments and agencies, and representatives of independent civil society; (2)focus on areas in developing countries with high prevalence of child marriage; and (3)encompass diplomatic initiatives between the United States and governments of developing countries, with attention to human rights, legal reforms and the rule of law, and programmatic initiatives in the areas of education, health, income generation, human rights, and democracy building. (c)

Report

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to Congress a report that includes— (1)the specific steps taken to carry out subsection (a); (2)an assessment, including data disaggregated by age and sex to the extent possible, of current United States-funded efforts to specifically prevent child marriage in developing countries; and (3)examples of best practices or programs to prevent child marriage in developing countries that could be replicated.

4.

Department of State’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended— (1)in section 116 (22 U.S.C. 2151n), by adding at the end the following new subsection: (g)(1)The report required by subsection (d) shall include for each country in which child marriage is prevalent at a rate at or above 40 percent in at least one sub-national region of the country, a description of the status of the practice of child marriage in the country. (2)In this subsection, the term child marriage means the marriage of a girl or boy, not yet the minimum age for marriage stipulated in law in the country in which the girl or boy is a resident or, where there is no such law, under the age of 18. ; and (2)in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304), by adding at the end the following new subsection: (j)(1)The report required by subsection (b) shall include for each country in which child marriage is prevalent at a rate at or above 40 percent in at least one sub-national region of the country, a description of the status of the practice of child marriage in the country. (2)In this subsection, the term child marriage means the marriage of a girl or boy, not yet the minimum age for marriage stipulated in law in the country in which the girl or boy is a resident or, where there is no such law, under the age of 18. .

5.

Child marriage defined

In this Act, the term child marriage means the marriage of a girl or boy, not yet the minimum age for marriage stipulated in law in the country in which the girl or boy is a resident or, where there is no such law, under the age of 18.