Intercountry Adoption Information Act of 2019

[116th Congress Public Law 184]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 134 STAT. 897]]

Public Law 116-184
116th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To amend the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 to require the Secretary 
 of State to report on intercountry adoptions from countries which have 
significantly reduced adoption rates involving immigration to the United 
 States, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 30, 2020 -  [H.R. 1952]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Intercountry 
Adoption Information Act of 2019. 42 USC 14901 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Intercountry Adoption Information Act 
of 2019''.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN ANNUAL REPORT ON 
                    INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTIONS.

    (a) Report Elements.--Section 104(b) of the Intercountry Adoption 
Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14914(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraphs:
            ``(9) <<NOTE: List.>>  A list of countries that established 
        or maintained a significant law or regulation that prevented or 
        prohibited adoptions involving immigration to the United States, 
        regardless of whether such adoptions occurred under the 
        Convention.
            ``(10) For each country listed under paragraph (9), the date 
        on which the law or regulation was initially implemented.
            ``(11) Information on efforts taken with respect to a 
        country listed under paragraph (9) to encourage the resumption 
        of halted or stalled adoption proceedings involving immigration 
        to the United States, regardless of whether the adoptions would 
        have occurred under the Convention.
            ``(12) Information on any action the Secretary carried out 
        that prevented, prohibited, or halted any adoptions involving 
        immigration to the United States, regardless of whether the 
        adoptions occurred under the Convention.
            ``(13) For each country listed pursuant to paragraph (12), a 
        description of--
                    ``(A) what policies, procedures, resources, and 
                safeguards the country lacks, or other shortcomings or 
                circumstances, that caused the action to be carried out;
                    ``(B) what progress the country has made to 
                alleviate those shortcomings; and
                    ``(C) what steps the Department of State has taken 
                in order to assist the country to reopen intercountry 
                adoptions.
            ``(14) <<NOTE: Assessment.>>  An assessment of the impact of 
        the fee schedule of the Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and 
        Maintenance Entity on families seeking to adopt internationally, 
        especially

[[Page 134 STAT. 898]]

        low-income families, families seeking to adopt sibling groups, 
        or families seeking to adopt children with disabilities.''.

    (b) Public Availability of Report.--Section 104 of the Intercountry 
Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14914) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection:
    ``(c) <<NOTE: Web posting.>>  Public Availability of Report.--The 
Secretary shall make the information contained in the report required 
under subsection (a) available to the public on the website of the 
Department of State.''.

    (c) <<NOTE: Compliance. 42 USC 14914 note.>>  Privacy Concerns.--In 
complying with the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b), the 
Secretary shall avoid, to the maximum extent practicable, disclosing any 
personally identifiable information relating to United States citizens 
or the adoptees of such citizens.

    (d) Conforming Amendment.--Section 104(a) of the Intercountry 
Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14914(a)) is amended by striking 
``International Relations'' and inserting ``Foreign Affairs''.
    (e) <<NOTE: 42 USC 14914 note.>>  Application Date.--The amendments 
made by this section shall apply with respect to reports required to be 
submitted under section 104 of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42 
U.S.C. 14914) beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

    Approved October 30, 2020.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1952:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 165 (2019):
                                    May 20, considered and passed House.
                                                        Vol. 166 (2020):
                                    Sept. 30, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.

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