PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 16, 2009
International Child Abduction Prevention Act of 2009 - Establishes within the Department of State an Office on International Child Abductions which shall be headed by the Ambassador at Large for International Child Abductions.
States that Ambassador at Large shall be a principal adviser to the President and the Secretary of State regarding matters of international child abduction and refusals of rights of access. Authorizes the Ambassador at Large to represent the United States in such diplomatic matters and international forums.
States that the primary responsibilities of the Ambassador at Large shall be to: (1) promote measures to prevent the international abduction of children from the United States; (2) advocate on behalf of abducted children whose habitual residence is the United States; (3) assist left-behind parents in the resolution of abduction or refusal of access cases; and (4) advance mechanisms to prevent and resolve cases of international child abduction.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Directs the President to: (1) annually review the status of unresolved cases in each foreign country to determine whether the government has engaged in a pattern of noncooperation, and if so, designate such country as a Country With a Pattern of Noncooperation; (2) notify the appropriate congressional committees of such designation; and (3) take specified presidential or commensurate actions to bring about a cessation of noncooperation.
Sets forth consultation, notification, and reporting requirements for the President and the Secretary.
Prohibits judicial review of any presidential determination or agency action under this Act.
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the International Financial Institutions Act to require the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President, respectively, in determining whether a country engages in a pattern of gross human right violations for purposes of assistance considerations, to consider whether such country has engaged in a pattern of noncooperation regarding unresolved cases of international child abduction or denial of rights of access, or has failed to undertake serious efforts to locate children abducted to such country.
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to consider for tariff preference purposes whether a country has engaged in a pattern of noncooperation regarding unresolved cases of international child abduction or denial of rights of access.
Amends the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001 to require, for issuance of a passport for a child under 14 years old living outside the United States, that the person executing the passport application provides documentary evidence that such person is a U.S. citizen, has joint custody over the child, and is executing such application outside the United States.
People & committees
Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · R–NJ
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
Referred to House Judiciary
Referred to House Financial Services
Referred to House Ways and Means
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, the Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Foreign Affairs
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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