H.R.5888: Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 25, 2006

Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that any "covered individual" (an individual whose Application for Advanced Processing of Orphan Petition was approved on or after January 1, 2005) may file a Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative for at least two years after the approval of the individual's application.

Prohibits the Secretary from requiring: (1) a covered individual who files a timely petition to pay any fees or complete any requirements already paid or completed in conjunction with the application or contingent on the amount of time that elapses between the application's approval and the petition's filing; and (2) any person who was a covered individual on this Act's enactment date from paying any fee for the timely filing of a petition unless that fee was required at the time the application was approved.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Wilson, Heather [R-NM-1] · R–NM

Committees

Judiciary Committee

50 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jul 25, 2006
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jul 25, 2006
Introduced in House
Jul 25, 2006
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Jul 25, 2006 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 15, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.5888 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss H.R.5888, 109th Congress: Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/5888

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2006-07-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/109/bills/hr5888/BILLS-109hr5888ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-15T18:00:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.5888 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.5888 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.5888, 109th Congress: Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/5888

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2006-07-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/109/bills/hr5888/BILLS-109hr5888ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-15T18:00:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.5888 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.5888 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.5888, 109th Congress: Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/5888

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2006-07-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/109/bills/hr5888/BILLS-109hr5888ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-15T18:00:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.5888 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.5888 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.5888, 109th Congress: Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/5888

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2006-07-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/109/bills/hr5888/BILLS-109hr5888ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-15T18:00:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.5888 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.