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H.R. 4504: Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004

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H.R. 4504: Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2004-06-03 · Families · Latest: Received in the Senate.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2004-06-03 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. DeLay, Tom [R-TX-22] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004

Plain summary

Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004 - (Sec. 2) Expresses the sense of Congress that States should revise the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. (Sec. 3) Amends the Social Security Act to require each State to: (1) have in effect procedures for orderly and timely placement of children, in foster care or for adoption, across State lines; and (2) complete home studies for such purpose within 60 days of another State's request. (Sec. 4) Requires each State to complete home studies for such child placement purposes within 60 days of another State's request. Expresses the sense of Congress that States should use private agencies to conduct home studies and give full faith and credit to other States' home study reports. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make incentive grants to States that complete timely interstate home studies. (Sec. 5) Revises requirements for completing background checks before placement approval and for checking of child abuse registries. Suspends and subsequently eliminates an opt-out provision. (Sec. 6) Allows access to the Federal parent locator service to courts in foster care or adoptive placement cases. (Sec. 7) Revises requirements relating to caseworker visits. (Sec. 8) Revises requirements relating to health and education records. (Sec. 9) Revises requirements relating to notice of proceedings. (Sec. 11) Provides for consideration of out-of-state placements in permanency hearings, case plans, and case reviews. (Sec. 14) Requires State plans for child welfare services to contain assurances that the State shall make use of cross-jurisdictional resources to facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for waiting children. Requires assurances that the State shall eliminate legal barriers to such use of interjurisdictional resources. Includes contracts for the purchase of services among the ways States are to use such resources. (Sec. 15) Directs the Comptroller General to study State performance of background checks for child placements.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. DeLay, Tom [R-TX-22] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4504 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108