[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4990 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4990

     To comprehensively combat child marriage in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 1, 2024

 Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Schatz, and Mrs. Gillibrand) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                            on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To comprehensively combat child marriage in the United States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Child Marriage Prevention Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Over 300,000 minors were married in the United States 
        between 2000 and 2018. Most were wed to adult men and some were 
        as young as 10 years of age, though most were 16 or 17 years of 
        age.
            (2) Child marriage limits educational opportunities. Women 
        who marry before they turn 19 years of age are 50 percent more 
        likely to drop out of high school and 4 times less likely to 
        graduate from college.
            (3) Girls who marry in their early teens are up to 31 
        percent more likely to live in future poverty.
            (4) Child marriage has harmful consequences for mental and 
        physical health. Women who married as children have higher 
        rates of certain psychiatric disorders. Another study found 
        that women who marry before 19 years of age have a 23 percent 
        greater risk of developing a serious health condition, 
        including diabetes, cancer, heart attack, or stroke.
            (5) Child marriage can facilitate physical, emotional, and 
        verbal abuse. Girls and young women 16 to 24 years of age 
        experience the highest rates of intimate partner violence, and 
        girls 16 to 19 years of age experience intimate partner 
        violence victimization rates that are almost triple the 
        national average. Further, the majority of States allow 
        marriage to be used as a defense to statutory rape laws, which 
        can incentivize perpetrators to marry victims to preempt 
        prosecutions.
            (6) 70 to 80 percent of marriages entered into when at 
        least one person is under 18 years of age ultimately end in 
        divorce. According to one study based on census data, 23 
        percent of children who marry are already separated or divorced 
        by the time they turn 18 years of age.
            (7) Depending on the State, a child facing a forced 
        marriage or a married minor trying to leave may find themselves 
        with few options. A minor trying to avoid a forced marriage may 
        not be able to leave home without being taken into custody and 
        returned by police and may not be able to stay in a domestic 
        violence shelter at all or in a youth shelter for longer than a 
        few days. Friends or allies of a child escaping a marriage who 
        offer to take them in could risk being charged with 
        contributing to the delinquency of a minor or harboring a 
        runaway. And, if the minor attempts to obtain a home of their 
        own, they may find no one willing to rent to them, because in 
        many circumstances, minors cannot be held to contracts they 
        enter.
            (8) Depending on the State, a minor who is being forced or 
        coerced into marriage may not be entitled to file on their own 
        for a protective order. Further, not all States clearly treat 
        married minors as emancipated, meaning they still have the 
        limited legal status and rights of a child and face similar 
        vulnerabilities and challenges seeking help.
            (9) Child marriage in the United States can also be 
        facilitated through the immigration system. Subject to rare 
        exceptions, United States immigration law recognizes marriages 
        as valid if they were legal where they took place and where the 
        parties will reside. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
        reported that between fiscal year 2007 and fiscal year 2017, it 
        approved 8,686 petitions for spousal or fiance visas that 
        involved at least one minor, though it remains unclear how many 
        of these visas were ultimately approved by the Department of 
        State. However, approximately 2.6 percent of fiance and spousal 
        petitions were returned unapproved to U.S. Citizenship and 
        Immigration Services between fiscal year 2007 and fiscal year 
        2017. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the United 
        States issued a visa to a significant number of the spouses and 
        fiances named on the 8,686 petitions.
            (10) Four States set no statutory minimum age for marriage. 
        In 13 States and the District of Columbia, clerks acting on 
        their own--without judges--can issue marriage licenses for all 
        minors. Four States permit pregnancy to lower the minimum 
        marriage age and in one State, Mississippi, the statute sets 
        different conditions for approvals for girls and boys.
            (11) There is a growing movement to eliminate child 
        marriage in the United States and 13 States--Delaware, New 
        Jersey, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island, New York, 
        Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Michigan, Washington, 
        Virginia, and New Hampshire have set the minimum age for 
        marriage at 18 years of age, with no exceptions. Since 2016, a 
        total of 35 States have enacted new laws to end or limit child 
        marriage with 5 more States requiring parties to be legal 
        adults (meaning that the only exception to the requirement to 
        be 18 years of age to be married is for certain court-
        emancipated minors). Until all States take action, however, the 
        patchwork of State laws will continue to put all children, 
        particularly girls, at risk, given the ease with which they can 
        be taken out of their home State into another State with lax or 
        no laws.
            (12) The foreign policy of the United States is already 
        imbued with these understandings that child marriage is harmful 
        and should be prevented, including the following:
                    (A) The Department of State in its Foreign Affairs 
                Manual states the Federal Government view of ``forced 
                marriage to be a violation of basic human rights. It 
                also considers the forced marriage of a minor child to 
                be a form of child abuse, since the child will 
                presumably be subjected to non-consensual sex.''.
                    (B) The United States Agency for International 
                Development observes that Child, Early, and Forced 
                Marriage (In this paragraph referred to as ``CEFM'') 
                ``impedes girls' education and increases early 
                pregnancy and the risk of maternal mortality, obstetric 
                complications, gender-based violence, and HIV/AIDS. 
                Children of young mothers have higher rates of infant 
                mortality and malnutrition compared to children of 
                mothers older than 18. . . . CEFM is also associated 
                with reductions in economic productivity for 
                individuals and nations at large. CEFM is a human 
                rights abuse and a practice that undermines efforts to 
                promote sustainable growth and development.''.
                    (C) Congress enacted the Violence Against Women 
                Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-4; 127 
                Stat. 54), which requires the Secretary of State to 
                establish and implement a multiyear strategy--
                            (i) to ``prevent child marriages''; and
                            (ii) to ``promote the empowerment of girls 
                        at risk of child marriage in developing 
                        countries''.
            (13) In 2021, the National Strategy on Gender Equity and 
        Equality named child marriage as a form of gender-based 
        violence that undermines human rights globally and 
        domestically, noting--
                    (A) ``Millions of women and girls remain at risk of 
                female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child, 
                early and forced marriage, forms of gender-based 
                violence that undermine security and human rights, 
                including here in the United States''; and
                    (B) ``In the United States, we will collaborate 
                with state officials to prevent and address harmful 
                practices that undermine human rights, including laws 
                that permit child, early and forced marriage . . . and 
                ensure access to social services for those harmed.''.
            (14) The report titled ``U.S. National Plan to End Gender-
        Based Violence: Strategies for Action,'' published in May, 
        2023, which focuses on preventing and addressing various forms 
        of interpersonal violence occurring within the United States, 
        defines gender-based violence as a ``range of interpersonal 
        violence across the life course'' including child, early, and 
        forced marriage.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Noncitizen.--The term ``noncitizen'' means any person 
        who is not a citizen or national of the United States.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, 
        territory, or possession of the United States.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL COMMISSION TO ADDRESS CHILD MARRIAGE.

    (a) In General.--There is established within the Department of 
Health and Human Services a commission, to be known as the National 
Commission to Combat Child Marriage in the United States (in this 
section referred to as the ``Commission''), which shall--
            (1) conduct a comprehensive study on child marriage in the 
        United States, including--
                    (A) applicable laws, or the absence of laws, which 
                define or prohibit child marriage;
                    (B) the extent to which such marriages currently 
                occur;
                    (C) the extent to which such marriages occurred 
                over the last 5 years in each State;
                    (D) the circumstances in which such marriages take 
                place (including risk factors that may have played a 
                role in such marriages taking place); and
                    (E) the impact of such marriages on the individuals 
                who were married before turning 18 years of age;
            (2) build upon the evaluations of other entities and avoid 
        unnecessary duplication, by reviewing the findings, 
        conclusions, and recommendations of other commissions, the 
        Federal Government, State and local governments, State task 
        forces, and nongovernmental entities relating to child marriage 
        in the United States;
            (3) submit a report on specific findings, conclusions, and 
        recommendations to eliminate child marriage in the United 
        States to--
                    (A) the Committee on the Judiciary and the 
                Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
                the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on the Judiciary and the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    (C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
            (4) carry out other duties as described in subsection (c).
    (b) Composition of Commission.--
            (1) Members.--The Commission shall be composed of 10 
        members, of whom--
                    (A) 1 member shall be appointed by the President;
                    (B) 1 member, who is of a different political party 
                than that of the member appointed under paragraph (1), 
                shall be appointed by the President;
                    (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the Secretary 
                of Health and Human Services;
                    (D) 1 member shall be appointed by the majority 
                leader of the Senate;
                    (E) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority 
                leader of the Senate;
                    (F) 1 member shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
                the House of Representatives; and
                    (G) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority 
                leader of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Governmental appointees.--An individual appointed to 
        the Commission may not be an officer or employee of the Federal 
        Government.
            (3) Commission representation.--The Commission shall 
        include at least--
                    (A) 1 survivor of child marriage;
                    (B) 1 representative from a private nonprofit 
                entity with demonstrated expertise in working with 
                survivors of child marriage in the United States;
                    (C) 1 representative from a private nonprofit 
                entity with demonstrated expertise in working with 
                immigrant survivors of child marriage in the United 
                States; and
                    (D) 1 representative from a private nonprofit 
                entity with demonstrated expertise in working with 
                State governments to limit child marriage.
            (4) Qualifications.--Members appointed under paragraph (1) 
        shall have demonstrated experience or expertise in--
                    (A) providing services to survivors of child 
                marriage in the United States;
                    (B) providing services to immigrant survivors of 
                child marriage in the United States;
                    (C) working with State governments to limit child 
                marriage;
                    (D) the medical challenges that survivors of child 
                marriage face;
                    (E) the mental health challenges that survivors of 
                child marriage face;
                    (F) legal issues involving individuals who were 
                married or sought to marry before becoming 18 years of 
                age;
                    (G) conducting research on the impact of child 
                marriage on individuals who were married before 
                becoming 18 years of age;
                    (H) risk factors that play a role in child 
                marriage; or
                    (I) issues of forced or coerced marriage, family 
                violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or child 
                abuse.
            (5) Initial meeting.--Not later than 120 days after the 
        appointment of members of the Commission, the Commission 
        shall--
                    (A) hold an initial meeting, at which the members 
                shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, who 
                shall be of different political parties, from among 
                such members and shall determine a schedule of 
                Commission meetings; and
                    (B) begin the operations of the Commission.
            (6) Quorum and vacancy.--
                    (A) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the 
                Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser 
                number of members may hold hearings.
                    (B) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall 
                not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same 
                manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (c) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall--
            (1) conduct pursuant to subsection (a) a comprehensive 
        study that examines and assesses the adequacy of laws 
        addressing child marriage, the extent of child marriage across 
        the country, risk factors that play a role in child marriage, 
        and the impact of child marriage on those individuals in the 
        United States who marry before becoming 18 years of age, 
        including making specific findings relating to--
                    (A) threats to such individuals' safety and well-
                being, including--
                            (i) physical and mental health, economic, 
                        and educational impacts;
                            (ii) forced or coerced marriage;
                            (iii) family violence;
                            (iv) vulnerability to abuse and 
                        exploitation;
                            (v) sexual assault;
                            (vi) child abuse and neglect; and
                            (vii) human trafficking;
                    (B) barriers to and gaps in services for minors 
                facing the threat of forced marriage or already married 
                minors seeking protection from abuse;
                    (C) Federal laws, regulations, policies, and 
                programs relevant to child marriage and individuals who 
                marry before becoming 18 years of age; and
                    (D) based on a survey of such laws, State laws 
                defining or prohibiting child marriage, including 
                lessons learned from States that have, or that lack, 
                laws, regulations, and policies to limit child 
                marriage; and
            (2) submit to the President, the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services, and Congress a report on the specific findings, 
        conclusions, and recommendations to address and ultimately 
        eliminate child marriage in the United States and improve 
        services and outcomes for survivors of child marriage in the 
        United States, including specific recommendations on policies, 
        regulations, and legislative changes as the Commission 
        considers appropriate to address child marriage in the United 
        States.
    (d) Powers of the Commission.--
            (1) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, meet 
        and act at such times and places, and receive such evidence as 
        may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Commission.
            (2) Information from federal agencies.--
                    (A) In general.--The Commission may access, to the 
                extent authorized by law, from any executive 
                department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, 
                independent establishment, or instrumentality of the 
                Federal Government such information, suggestions, 
                estimates, and statistics as the Commission considers 
                necessary to carry out this section.
                    (B) Provision of information.--On written request 
                of the Chairperson of the Commission, each department, 
                bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent 
                establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent 
                authorized by law, provide the requested information to 
                the Commission.
                    (C) Receipt, handling, storage, and 
                dissemination.--Information shall only be received, 
                handled, stored, and disseminated by members of the 
                Commission and its staff consistent with all applicable 
                statutes, regulations, and Executive orders.
            (3) Listening sessions.--The Commission shall organize and 
        facilitate listening sessions with survivors of, advocates on 
        issues relating to, and experts on child marriage in order to 
        discharge its duties under this section.
            (4) Donations.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose 
        of donations of services or property.
            (5) Postal services.--The Commission may use the United 
        States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions 
        as a department or agency of the United States.
    (e) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall serve 
without compensation, but shall receive travel expenses, including per 
diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government 
service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United 
States Code.
    (f) Federal Advisory Committee Act Applicability.--Chapter 10 of 
title 5, United States Code, shall apply to the Commission, including 
the staff of the Commission.
    (g) Reports of Commission and Termination.--
            (1) Interim report.--The Commission shall, not later than 1 
        year after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, 
        submit to the President and Congress an interim report 
        containing specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations 
        required under this section as have been agreed to by a 
        majority of Commission members.
            (2) Other reports and information.--
                    (A) Reports.--The Commission may issue additional 
                reports as the Commission determines necessary.
                    (B) Information.--The Commission may hold public 
                hearings to collect information and shall make such 
                information available for use by the public.
            (3) Final report.--The Commission shall, not later than 2 
        years after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, 
        submit a final report containing specific findings, 
        conclusions, and recommendations required under this section as 
        have been agreed to by a majority of Commission members to--
                    (A) the President;
                    (B) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
                    (C) the Committee on the Judiciary and the 
                Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
                the Senate; and
                    (D) the Committee on the Judiciary and the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House 
                of Representatives.
            (4) Termination.--
                    (A) In general.--The Commission, and all the 
                authorities of this section, shall terminate 180 days 
                after the date on which the final report is submitted 
                under paragraph (3).
                    (B) Records.--Not later than the date of 
                termination of the Commission under subparagraph (A), 
                all records and papers of the Commission shall be 
                delivered to the Archivist of the United States for 
                deposit in the National Archives.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $1,500,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2027 and 2028.

SEC. 5. GAO REPORTS.

    (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate committees 
of Congress'' means the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on 
Health, Education, and Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce of the House of Representatives.
    (b) Child Marriage in the United States.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
        report describing--
                    (A) Federal laws, regulations, policies, and 
                programs relevant to child marriage and individuals who 
                marry before becoming 18 years of age;
                    (B) applicable laws, or the absence of laws, which 
                define or prohibit child marriage;
                    (C) the extent to which such marriages occurred 
                during the 5-year period ending on the date of 
                enactment of this Act in each State; and
                    (D) research and studies published during the 10-
                year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act 
                assessing--
                            (i) the common or typical circumstances in 
                        which such marriages take place, including 
                        information indicating the prevalence of forced 
                        or coerced marriage and risk factors that may 
                        have played a role in such marriages taking 
                        place; and
                            (ii) the impact of such marriages on the 
                        individuals who were married before turning 18 
                        years of age in the United States, including 
                        the impact on the safety and well-being of such 
                        individuals, including--
                                    (I) medical and mental health;
                                    (II) economic and educational 
                                outcomes;
                                    (III) risk of or vulnerability to--
                                            (aa) family violence;
                                            (bb) abuse or exploitation;
                                            (cc) sexual assault;
                                            (dd) child abuse or 
                                        neglect; or
                                            (ee) human trafficking; and
                                    (IV) barriers to and gaps in 
                                services for minors facing the threat 
                                of forced marriage or already married 
                                minors seeking protection from abuse.
            (2) Assistance in obtaining information.--The Comptroller 
        General of the United States may request that States provide 
        the information necessary to address the portion of the report 
        required under paragraph (1)(C).
    (c) Child Marriage and Immigration.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter through 
        2030, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
        to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that 
        assesses the extent to which--
                    (A) noncitizens who were under 18 years of age on 
                the date of marriage are admitted to the United States 
                as beneficiaries of approved petitions submitted by the 
                United States citizen or lawful permanent resident 
                spouses of the noncitizens; and
                    (B) the United States has admitted nonimmigrant 
                spouses who, on the date on which a nonimmigrant visa 
                petition was submitted for the principal noncitizens, 
                were under 18 years of age.
            (2) Elements.--Each report required under paragraph (1) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) For each petition described in paragraph (1)(A) 
                approved during the 2-year period preceding the 
                report--
                            (i) the gender of the beneficiary and 
                        petitioner;
                            (ii) the ages of the beneficiary and 
                        petitioner on--
                                    (I) the date of the marriage;
                                    (II) the date on which the petition 
                                was submitted; and
                                    (III) the date on which the 
                                petition was approved; and
                            (iii) in the case of a noncitizen who was 
                        under 18 years of age on the date on which such 
                        a petition was submitted, a description of the 
                        basis upon which the evidentiary requirements 
                        were determined to have been met under, as 
                        applicable--
                                    (I) clause (ii) of section 
                                101(a)(15)(K) of the Immigration and 
                                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                                1101(a)(15)(K)), as amended by section 
                                8 of this Act;
                                    (II) clause (iii)(II) of section 
                                201(b)(2)(A) of that Act (8 U.S.C. 
                                1151(b)(2)(A)), as amended by section 8 
                                of this Act; or
                                    (III) subparagraph (A)(ii) of 
                                section 203(a)(2) of that Act (8 U.S.C. 
                                1153(a)(2)), as amended by section 8 of 
                                this Act.
                    (B) A summary of feedback from adjudicators of such 
                petitions with respect to whether the evidentiary 
                requirements under the provisions described in 
                subclauses (I) through (III) of subparagraph (A)(ii) 
                provide sufficient guidance, and the manner in which 
                such guidance may be improved.
                    (C) Specific conclusions and recommendations with 
                respect to whether a minimum age on the date of 
                marriage should be required for beneficiaries of 
                petitions submitted by their United States citizen or 
                lawful permanent resident spouses.

SEC. 6. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATE TASK FORCES TO EXAMINE CHILD MARRIAGE.

    The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10401 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 315. STATE TASK FORCES TO EXAMINE CHILD MARRIAGE.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Program.--From amounts made available under 
        subsection (c), the Secretary may award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible States to establish a State-
        based task force to examine child marriage in the eligible 
        State.
            ``(2) Eligible state.--In this section, the term `eligible 
        State' means a State that permits an individual younger than 18 
        years of age to marry.
            ``(3) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
        under paragraph (1), an eligible State shall submit to the 
        Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    ``(b) State Task Force.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible State awarded a grant under 
        subsection (a)(1) shall establish a task force to examine child 
        marriage in the eligible State.
            ``(2) Appointees.--A task force established under paragraph 
        (1) shall include individuals with--
                    ``(A) advocacy expertise in combating family 
                violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or child 
                abuse or neglect issues;
                    ``(B) experience in social work or school 
                counseling, with preference for such individuals with 
                experience providing culturally specific services;
                    ``(C) experience in providing legal assistance to 
                survivors of family violence, sexual assault, or human 
                trafficking, with a preference for such individuals 
                with experience serving such survivors who are younger 
                than 18 years of age;
                    ``(D) experience in providing legal assistance to 
                individuals with needs for child protection services, 
                including foster youth, homeless and runaway youth, and 
                youth otherwise at-risk for needing such services;
                    ``(E) judicial experience with cases involving 
                child protection and family violence issues;
                    ``(F) legal experience with cases involving 
                emancipation, guardianship, or child-specific 
                protection orders, with special preference for such 
                individuals who have worked on cases involving forced 
                or coerced marriage; or
                    ``(G) professional medical or mental health 
                experience.
            ``(3) Tasks.--A task force established under paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    ``(A) collect Statewide statistics for each of the 
                10 years preceding the date of the grant award on the 
                number, age, gender, and residency of individuals in 
                the eligible State who were younger than 18 years of 
                age at the time of the marriage of such individual;
                    ``(B) examine the risk factors that lead to child 
                marriage and negative impacts from child marriage in 
                the eligible State, including the relationship between 
                child marriage and threats to a minor's safety, health, 
                and well-being, and including risk factors and impacts 
                such as forced or coerced marriage, family violence, 
                sexual assault, child abuse and neglect, human 
                trafficking, educational impacts, poverty, and other 
                negative impacts on individuals who are younger than 18 
                years of age who marry;
                    ``(C) examine whether marriages that include an 
                individual younger than 18 years of age should be 
                prohibited in the eligible State;
                    ``(D) develop policy recommendations for the 
                eligible State to address negative impacts of child 
                marriage on individuals and the intersection between 
                child marriage and forced or coerced marriage, family 
                violence, sexual assault, child abuse and neglect, and 
                human trafficking; and
                    ``(E) prepare a report with the recommendations of 
                the task force, including on protecting individuals who 
                are younger than 18 years of age from the negative 
                impacts of child marriage and forced or coerced 
                marriages and enabling already-married individuals who 
                are younger than 18 years of age to protect themselves 
                from abuse.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $375,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2027 through 2032.''.

SEC. 7. STATE INCENTIVES TO ELIMINATE CHILD MARRIAGE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term ``covered formula 
grant'' means a grant under--
            (1) part T of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
        Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10441 et seq.) (commonly 
        referred to as the ``STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant 
        Program''); or
            (2) section 41601 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 
        (34 U.S.C. 12511) (commonly referred to as the ``Sexual Assault 
        Services Program'').
    (b) Increased Funding for Formula Grants Authorized.--The Attorney 
General shall increase the amount provided to a State under the covered 
formula grants in accordance with this section if the State has in 
place a law that prohibits marriage for individuals who have not 
attained 18 years of age or, if more than 18 years of age, the age of 
majority for the State.
    (c) Application.--A State seeking an increase in the amount 
provided to the State under the covered formula grants shall include in 
the application of the State for each covered formula grant such 
information as the Attorney General may reasonably require, including 
information about the law described in subsection (b).
    (d) Grant Increase.--The amount of the increase provided to a State 
under the covered formula grants under this section shall be equal to 
not more than 10 percent of the average of the total amount of funding 
provided to the State under the covered formula grants under the 3 most 
recent awards to the State.
    (e) Period of Increase.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General shall provide an 
        increase in the amount provided to a State under the covered 
        formula grants under this section for a 2-year period.
            (2) Limit.--The Attorney General may not provide an 
        increase in the amount provided to a State under the covered 
        formula grants under this section more than 4 times.
    (f) Allocation of Increased Formula Grant Funds.--The Attorney 
General shall allocate an increase in the amount provided to a State 
under the covered formula grants under this section such that--
            (1) 25 percent the amount of the increase is provided under 
        the program described in subsection (a)(1); and
            (2) 75 percent the amount of the increase is provided under 
        the program described in subsection (a)(2).
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--If the National Commission to 
Combat Child Marriage in the United States submits the interim report 
required under section 4(g)(1), there is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 
through 2032.

SEC. 8. FEDERAL LIMITATIONS ON CHILD MARRIAGE.

    No property that is on any land or in any building owned by, leased 
to, or otherwise used by or under the control of the Federal Government 
may be used to facilitate a marriage unless both of the individuals 
marrying are at least 18 years of age at the time of the marriage.

SEC. 9. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CHILD MARRIAGE.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall establish a working 
group which shall, not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
National Commission to Combat Child Marriage in the United States 
issues the final report required under section 4(g)(3), promulgate a 
model State statute that prohibits child marriage by requiring a person 
to be at least 18 years of age or, for a State with an age of majority 
that is older than 18 years of age, the age of majority in the State, 
at the time of marriage.
    (b) Composition of the Working Group.--The working group 
established under subsection (a) shall be composed of 8 members, of 
whom at least 1 member shall be from the following components of the 
Department of Justice:
            (1) The Office of Legal Policy.
            (2) The Office of Legislative Affairs.
            (3) The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the 
        Criminal Division.
            (4) The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of 
        the Criminal Division.
            (5) The Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Civil 
        Rights Division.
            (6) The Office of Violence Against Women.

SEC. 10. MODIFICATIONS TO IMMIGRATION PROVISIONS RELATING TO MARRIAGE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) In general.--Except as otherwise specifically provided, 
        any term used in this section that is used in the immigration 
        laws shall have the meaning given the term in the immigration 
        laws.
            (2) Immigration laws.--The term ``immigration laws'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 101(a)(17) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17)).
    (b) Modifications to Immigration Provisions Relating to Marriage.--
            (1) Definition of noncitizen.--Section 101(a) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)) is amended 
        by adding at the end the following:
    ``(53) The term `noncitizen' means any person who is not a citizen 
or national of the United States.''.
            (2) Classifications relating to visas for noncitizen 
        fiances and spouses.--
                    (A) K visas.--Section 101(a)(15)(K) of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1101(a)(15)(K)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(K) subject to subsections (d) and (r) of section 214, a 
        noncitizen--
                    ``(i)(I) who is the fiancee or fiance of a citizen 
                of the United States (other than a citizen described in 
                section 204(a)(1)(A)(viii)(I)) who is at least 18 years 
                of age; and
                    ``(II) who--
                            ``(aa) seeks to enter the United States 
                        solely to conclude a valid marriage with the 
                        petitioner within ninety days after admission; 
                        and
                            ``(bb) is at least 18 years of age;
                    ``(ii)(I) who has concluded a valid marriage with a 
                citizen of the United States who is the petitioner who 
                is at least 18 years of age and was at least 18 years 
                of age on the date of the marriage (other than a 
                citizen described in section 204(a)(1)(A)(viii)(I)); 
                and
                    ``(II) who--
                            ``(aa) is the beneficiary of a petition to 
                        accord a status under section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) 
                        that was filed under section 204 by the 
                        petitioner;
                            ``(bb) seeks to enter the United States to 
                        await the approval of such petition and the 
                        availability to the noncitizen of an immigrant 
                        visa; and
                            ``(cc) is at least 18 years of age, or is 
                        at least 16 years of age and is granted a 
                        waiver of such age requirement based on a 
                        compelling humanitarian reason for the issuance 
                        of a visa, arising from a risk of 
                        individualized and targeted harm to such 
                        noncitizen, and which shall not include 
                        parental consent, a child in common with the 
                        petitioner, pregnancy, or any combination 
                        thereof; or
                    ``(iii) who is the minor child of a noncitizen 
                described in clause (i) or (ii) and is accompanying, or 
                following to join, the noncitizen.''.
                    (B) Immediate relatives.--Section 201(b)(2)(A) of 
                the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1151(b)(2)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the 
                following:
            ``(iii) For purposes of this subparagraph, a noncitizen 
        spouse may only be considered the immediate relative of a 
        United States citizen spouse if--
                    ``(I) the United States citizen spouse is at least 
                18 years of age and was at least 18 years of age at the 
                time of marriage; and
                    ``(II) the noncitizen spouse is--
                            ``(aa) at least 18 years of age; or
                            ``(bb) at least 16 years of age and has 
                        been granted a waiver of the age requirement 
                        under item (aa) based on a compelling 
                        humanitarian reason for the issuance of a visa, 
                        arising from a risk of individualized and 
                        targeted harm to the noncitizen seeking a visa, 
                        and which shall not include parental consent, a 
                        child in common with the petitioner, pregnancy, 
                        or any combination thereof.''.
                    (C) Spouses of lawful permanent residents.--Section 
                203(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
                U.S.C. 1153(a)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraphs 
                (A) and (B) and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) who--
                            ``(i) are the spouses of noncitizens 
                        lawfully admitted for permanent residence aged 
                        18 years or older and who were at least 18 
                        years of age at the time of marriage; and
                            ``(ii)(I) are at least 18 years of age; or
                            ``(II) are at least 16 years of age and 
                        have been granted a waiver of the age 
                        requirement under subclause (I) based on a 
                        compelling humanitarian reason for the issuance 
                        of a visa, arising from a risk of 
                        individualized and targeted harm to the 
                        noncitizen seeking a visa, and which shall not 
                        include parental consent, a child in common 
                        with the petitioner, pregnancy, or any 
                        combination thereof;
                    ``(B) who are the children of noncitizens lawfully 
                admitted for permanent residence; or
                    ``(C) who are the unmarried sons or unmarried 
                daughters (but are not the children) of noncitizens 
                lawfully admitted for permanent residence,''.
            (3) Rule of construction.--The amendments made by this 
        subsection may not be construed to preclude, limit, or modify 
        eligibility of any noncitizen spouse subjected to battery or 
        extreme cruelty and otherwise eligible for relief as a VAWA 
        self-petitioner (as defined in section 101(a)(51) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(51))), or any 
        battered spouse (within the meaning of section 240A(b)(2) of 
        that Act (8 U.S.C. 1229b(b)(2))), for any available relief 
        under the immigrations laws without regard to either spouse's 
        age at time of marriage.
            (4) Applicability.--The amendments made by this subsection 
        shall only apply to petitions or applications for any status or 
        benefit under the immigration laws that are filed or otherwise 
        submitted on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (c) Proxy Marriage.--Section 101(a)(35) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(35)) is amended by striking 
``marriage shall have been consummated'' and inserting ``parties have 
met in person during the 2-year period immediately preceding the date 
of the ceremony''.
    (d) Public Education on Changes to Immigration Law.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning on the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary 
        of State, in coordination with the head of any other 
        appropriate Federal agency, shall immediately, and on an 
        ongoing basis, provide educational materials and information to 
        the public, in multiple languages, on the amendments made by 
        this section and the changes to immigration law made by such 
        amendments.
            (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the educational materials and 
        information provided under paragraph (1) shall be--
                    (A) made available in multiple languages on the 
                internet website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
                Services, including--
                            (i) on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
                        Services homepage; and
                            (ii) at https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/
                        forced-marriage;
                    (B) on view in public areas of the offices of U.S. 
                Citizenship and Immigration Services in English and the 
                1 or more primary languages of the country in which the 
                office is located, as applicable;
                    (C) presented through U.S. Citizenship and 
                Immigration Services community forums with immigrant 
                communities in the United States;
                    (D) provided to all registered immigration legal 
                services providers in the United States for 
                distribution to the community;
                    (E) made available on all relevant pages of the 
                internet website of the Department of State;
                    (F) on view at United States embassies and 
                consulates, in English and the 1 or more primary 
                languages of the applicable country; and
                    (G) incorporated into video advisories on 
                immigration requirements shown at United States 
                embassies, consulates, and ports of entry.
    (e) Promotion of Information on Child Marriage.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning on the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services, and the Attorney General, in 
        coordination with the head of any other appropriate Federal 
        agency, shall immediately, and on an ongoing basis, promote 
        information on--
                    (A) the harmful impacts of child marriage described 
                in section 2; and
                    (B) the governmental and nongovernmental resources 
                an individual may contact to receive support services 
                relating to such impacts.
            (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the information provided under 
        paragraph (1) shall be--
                    (A) made available in multiple languages on the 
                internet website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
                Services;
                    (B) presented through U.S. Citizenship and 
                Immigration Services community forums with immigrant 
                communities in the United States;
                    (C) incorporated into video advisories on 
                immigration requirements shown at United States 
                embassies, consulates, and ports of entry;
                    (D) provided to all registered immigration legal 
                services providers and refugee resettlement agencies in 
                the United States or distribution to the community; and
                    (E) made available on all relevant pages of the 
                internet website of the Department of State.
    (f) Updates to Immigration Forms.--The instructions for Form I-130 
(Petition for Alien Relatives) and Form I-129F (Petition for Alien 
Fiance(e)) shall be updated to reflect the amendments made by this 
section and the modifications to the immigration laws made by such 
amendments.
    (g) Public Education.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning on the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, the Federal Government shall immediately, and on an 
        ongoing basis, provide educational materials and information to 
        the public, in multiple languages, on the amendments made by 
        this section and the changes to immigration law made by such 
        amendments.
            (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the educational materials and 
        information provided under paragraph (1) shall be--
                    (A) made available on the internet website of U.S. 
                Citizenship and Immigration Services, including--
                            (i) on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
                        Services homepage; and
                            (ii) at https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/
                        forced-marriage;
                    (B) on view in publicly accessible areas of the 
                offices of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;
                    (C) presented through U.S. Citizenship and 
                Immigration Services community forums with immigrant 
                communities in the United States;
                    (D) provided to all registered immigration legal 
                services providers in the United States for 
                distribution to the community;
                    (E) made available on the internet website of the 
                Department of State, including at--
                            (i) https://travel.state.gov/content/
                        travel.html;
                            (ii) https://travel.state.gov/content/
                        travel/en/us-visas.html; and
                            (iii) https://travel.state.gov/content/
                        travel/en/international-travel/emergencies/
                        forced-marriage.html;
                    (F) on view at United States embassies and 
                consulates, in English and the 1 or more primary 
                languages of the applicable country;
                    (G) incorporated into video advisories on 
                immigration requirements shown at United States 
                embassies, consulates, and ports of entry; and
                    (H) included in the advisory pamphlet required 
                under section 833 of the International Marriage Broker 
                Regulation Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-162; 119 Stat. 
                3068) entitled ``Information on the Legal Rights 
                Available to Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence in 
                the United States and Facts about Immigrating on a 
                Marriage-Based Visa'', which is distributed directly to 
                applicants for family-based immigration petitions at 
                all consular and adjustment interviews for marriage-
                based visas.
    (h) Distribution of Department of Homeland Security Gender-Based 
Violence Pamphlet (GBV Pamphlet).--The gender-based violence pamphlet 
developed by the Department of Homeland Security as part of the Blue 
Campaign (referred to in this subsection as the ``GBV pamphlet'') shall 
be made available and distributed as follows:
            (1) Inclusion in immigration forms.--The instructions for 
        Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relatives) and Form I-129F 
        (Petition for Alien Fiance(e)) shall include--
                    (A) the GBV pamphlet in its entirety, in English, 
                under the following section heading: ``The pamphlet 
                below describes what gender-based violence (GBV) is, 
                who is affected by GBV, and how and where to seek help 
                if you or someone you know is experiencing any form of 
                GBV. These materials are also available in Arabic, 
                Bengali, Chinese (Traditional), French, Hindi, 
                Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Urdu.''; and
                    (B) within the section heading preceding the GBV 
                pamphlet described in subparagraph (A), a link to the 
                Blue Campaign GBV pamphlet landing page, https://
                www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/publication/gender-based-
                pamphlets-and-flyers.
            (2) Mailing to petitioner and beneficiary.--
                    (A) In general.--The Director of U.S. Citizenship 
                and Immigration Services shall mail the GBV pamphlet to 
                each petitioner and beneficiary of a K nonimmigrant 
                visa pursuant to section 101(a)(15)(K) (8 U.S.C. 
                1101(a)(15)(K)) upon receipt of an application for such 
                a visa.
                    (B) Language.--Each GBV pamphlet mailed under 
                subparagraph (A) shall be the version in the primary 
                language of the petitioner and the primary language of 
                the beneficiary, or in English if a translation into 
                such language is unavailable.
            (3) Posting on national visa center website.--The Secretary 
        of State shall post the GBV pamphlet on the internet website 
        of--
                    (A) the National Visa Center; and
                    (B) each consular post that processes K 
                nonimmigrant visa applications.
            (4) Consular interviews.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary of State shall 
                ensure that the GBV pamphlet is distributed directly to 
                K nonimmigrant visa applicants at all consular 
                interviews for such visas.
                    (B) Language.--If a written translation of the GBV 
                pamphlet is unavailable in an applicant's primary 
                language, the consular officer conducting the visa 
                interview shall--
                            (i) review the contents of pamphlet with 
                        the applicant orally in the applicant's primary 
                        language; and
                            (ii) distribute the pamphlet to the 
                        applicant in English.
            (5) Display and availability at embassies and consulates.--
        The Secretary of State shall ensure that the GBV pamphlet--
                    (A) is displayed at each United States embassy and 
                consulate; and
                    (B) made available in English and, if available, 
                the primary language of the location of the embassy or 
                consulate.
            (6) Display and availability at u.s. citizenship and 
        immigration services offices.--The Secretary of Homeland 
        Security shall ensure that the GBV pamphlet is displayed and 
        made available in English at each U.S. Citizenship and 
        Immigration Services office at which applicant interviews for K 
        nonimmigrant visas are conducted.
                                 <all>