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H.Res. 34: Calling on the United States and Russia to continue cooperation in securing safe and loving homes for unparented children.

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H.Res. 34: Calling on the United States and Russia to continue cooperation in securing safe and loving homes for unparented children.

113th Congress · introduced 2013-01-15 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2013-01-15 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats. 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

Calling on the United States and Russia to continue cooperation in securing safe and loving homes for unparented children.

Plain summary

Appeals to the Russian government to allow the adoptions initiated before January 1, 2013, to proceed to conclusion, and invites Russia to continue participation in the bilateral adoption agreement that went into force November 1, 2012. Expresses deep sadness over the deaths in the United States of 19 adopted Russian children and over the other cases of abuse. Celebrates the tens of thousands of U.S. families who have opened their homes and hearts to Russian children. Affirms the extensive work of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Department of State to create safeguards against future abuse through such bilateral adoption agreement. Urges federal, state, and local governments and adoptive families to accommodate official inquiries into the well-being of adopted Russian children and to comply with all adoption requirements delineated by the bilateral agreement.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

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

Calling on the United States and Russia to continue cooperation in securing safe and loving homes for unparented children.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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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. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Robert J. Wittman (R-VA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] reported raising $797,217 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (2)
Resolution
A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote
A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong113-hres34 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113