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H.R. 1681: Every Child Deserves a Family Act

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H.R. 1681: Every Child Deserves a Family Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-05-03 · Families · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-05-03 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-13] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. 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

Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Plain summary

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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-13] · 114 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Gwen Moore (D-WI), Judy Chu (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and 54 more.

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)
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr1681 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112