HR 6170
ADOPT Act of 2025
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Bill overview
The Adoption Deserves Oversight, Protection, and Transparency Act of 2025 (ADOPT Act) aims to combat exploitation in private domestic interstate adoptions by criminalizing certain practices. Specifically, it makes unlawful the provision of ‘adoption intermediary services’ – such as advertising or facilitating connections between placing parents and prospective adoptive parents – and the placement of adoption advertisements without proper licensing. The bill also prohibits unauthorized payments to placing parents before consultation with licensed professionals. This legislation seeks to ensure transparency and protect individuals involved in the adoption process.
Key provisions
- Criminalizes the provision of ‘adoption intermediary services’ (e.g., advertising, facilitating connections).
- Makes placing adoption advertisements illegal without specific exemptions.
- Prohibits unauthorized payments to placing parents before consultation with licensed professionals.
- Defines key terms like ‘adoption advertising,’ ‘adoption intermediary services,’ and ‘placing parent.’
- Establishes specific exceptions for public child-placing agencies, certain non-profit organizations, licensed attorneys, and accredited intercountry adoption service providers.
- Sets penalties of up to $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for organizations found in violation.
- Includes a 120-day delay before the law takes effect.
- Clarifies that the bill does not affect the Indian Child Welfare Act or intercountry adoption programs.
Who is affected
- Individuals seeking to adopt
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 6170
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to criminalize unlawful adoption practices.
This Act may be cited as the Adoption Deserves Oversight, Protection, and Transparency Act of 2025 ADOPT Act of 2025
or the
.
The purpose of this Act is to—
protect individuals and families impacted by private domestic interstate adoption from exploitation by unlicensed adoption intermediaries;
ensure that individuals seeking assistance with private domestic interstate adoption have ready access to licensed and regulated adoption providers in their communities; and
prevent the commodification of children who are the subjects of private domestic interstate adoptions.
Chapter 11A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
In this section:
The term adoption advertising means a paid advertisement, article, notice, or other paid communication published in any newspaper, magazine, or on the internet, on a billboard, over radio or television, or any public media that—
solicits prospective adoptive parents for the purpose of acting as a link between a placing parent and a prospective adoptive parent, or the representative, attorney, or agency of a prospective adoptive parent or placing parent, for the placement of a child for adoption;
solicits placing parents for the purpose of acting as a link between a placing parent and a prospective adoptive parent, or the representative, attorney, or agency of a prospective adoptive parent or placing parent, for the placement of a child for adoption; or
offers to disburse any thing of value, including living expenses, medical or hospital care, or any other expenses of a placing parent in connection with the birth or adoption of a child.
The term adoption intermediary services means the provision of any of the following services, in exchange for direct or indirect compensation:
Soliciting placing parents, whether through adoption advertising or other means, for the purposes of acting as a link between a placing parent and a prospective adoptive parent, or the representative, attorney, or agency of a prospective adoptive parent or placing parent, for the placement of a child for adoption.
Soliciting prospective adoptive parents, whether through adoption advertising or other means, for the purpose of acting as a link between a placing parent and a prospective adoptive parent, or the representative, attorney, or agency of a prospective adoptive parent or placing parent, for the placement of a child for adoption.
Acting as a link between placing parents of a child and prospective adoptive parents, whether directly or through the representative, attorney, or agency of a prospective adoptive parent or placing parent, for the placement of a child for adoption.
The term placing parent means a parent with legal authority to place the child for adoption.
The term public child-placing agency means any government child welfare agency or child protection agency that has the legal authority to place children for adoption.
The term private licensed child-placing agency means a licensed or State approved agency that has the legal authority to place children for adoption.
Whoever, in any circumstance described in subsection (e), knowingly provides adoption intermediary services shall be punished as provided in accordance with subsection (f).
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—
a public child-placing agency;
an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Act that is acting under contract by a public child-placing agency;
a private licensed child-placing agency;
an attorney licensed in the State in which the intermediary services are provided; or
an adoption service provider accredited or approved in accordance with title II of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14921 et seq.) advertising provision of services through an intercountry adoption program.
Whoever, in any circumstance described in subsection (e), knowingly places an adoption advertisement shall be punished in accordance with subsection (f).
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—
a public child-placing agency or private licensed child-placing agency licensed to provide services in the State in which the advertisement appears;
an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Act that is acting under contract by a public child-placing agency;
an attorney licensed in the State in which the advertisement appears; or
an adoption service provider accredited or approved in accordance with title II of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14921 et seq.) advertising an intercountry adoption program.
Whoever, in any circumstance described in subsection (e), knowingly provides any thing of value, including money, property, or services (including medical or hospital care), whether payment is made directly or indirectly for the benefit of the placing parent in connection with the birth of a child and in furtherance of an adoption in an amount exceeding $2,500, before the consultation of a placing parent with a private licensed child-placing agency or attorney licensed in the State where the placing parent resides or is located, shall be punished in accordance with subsection (f).
Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to any payment made by or in cooperation with—
a private child-placing agency licensed in the State in which the placing parent resides or is located;
an attorney licensed in the State in which the placing parent resides or is located; or
a public agency or entity pursuant to any law or regulation, including any entitlement benefit, public assistance, or similar government support.
For the purposes of subsections (b), (c), and (d), the circumstances under which those subsections apply are—
the defendant, placing parent, or prospective adoptive parent traveled in interstate or foreign commerce or traveled using a means, channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, in furtherance of or in connection with the conduct described in subsection (b), (c), or (d);
the defendant knowingly used a means, channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, in furtherance of or in connection with the conduct described in subsection (b), (c), or (d);
the defendant knowingly made a payment, directly or indirectly, using any means, channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate commerce, in furtherance of or in connection with the conduct described in subsection (b), (c), or (d);
the defendant knowingly transmitted in interstate or foreign commerce any communication using any means, channel, or facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, including wire or computer, in furtherance of or in connection with the conduct described in subsection (b), (c), or (d);
the conduct described in subsection (b), (c), or (d) occurred within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or any territory or possession of the United States; or
the conduct described in subsection (b) otherwise occurred in or affected interstate or foreign commerce.
Whoever violates subsection (b), (c), or (d)—
in the case of an individual, shall be fined $50,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both per violation; or
in the case of an organization, shall be fined $100,000 per violation.
Nothing in this section may be construed to—
The table of chapters for part I of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
The chapter heading for chapter 11A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting AND UNLAWFUL ADOPTION PRACTICES
after CHILD SUPPORT
.
The table of sections for chapter 11A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding after the item relating to section 228, the following:
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.