Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Nov 1, 2011

Every Child Deserves a Family Act - Prohibits an entity that receives federal assistance and is involved in adoption or foster care placements from discriminating against prospective adoptive or foster parents solely on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identification, or marital status or on the basis of the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child involved.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in order to ensure compliance with, and ensure understanding of the legal, practice, and culture changes required by this Act in making foster care and adoption placement decisions, to provide specified technical assistance to all entities covered by this Act.

Requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of whether states have substantially complied with this Act in eliminating policies, practices, or statutes that deny adoption rights on the basis of these criteria.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] · D–NY

Committees

Finance Committee

14 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Nov 1, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Nov 1, 2011
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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

Introduced in Senate · Nov 1, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 1681 · Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.1770 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 S.1770, 112th Congress: Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1770

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-11-01.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1770/BILLS-112s1770is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T17:24:17Z. 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 S.1770 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 S.1770 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.

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Discuss S.1770, 112th Congress: Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1770

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-11-01.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1770/BILLS-112s1770is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T17:24:17Z. 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 S.1770 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 S.1770 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 S.1770, 112th Congress: Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1770

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-11-01.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1770/BILLS-112s1770is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T17:24:17Z. 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 S.1770 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 S.1770 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 S.1770, 112th Congress: Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1770

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-11-01.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1770/BILLS-112s1770is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T17:24:17Z. 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 S.1770 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.