H.R. 1149: Protection of Children Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-02-27 · International Affairs · Latest: Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 17 - 13.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-02-27 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 17 - 13. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Protection of Children Act of 2015

Plain summary

Protection of Children Act of 2015 This bill amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to eliminate the special repatriation requirements for unaccompanied alien children (UAC) who are nationals or residents of a country contiguous to the United States. (The same removal requirements are applied to all UACs who are not victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons and who do not have a fear of returning to their country of nationality or last habitual residence.) An immigration officer who finds an inadmissible UAC at a land border or port of entry shall return the child to his or her country of nationality or of last habitual residence. (Such authority is now only discretionary.) The Department of State is authorized to negotiate agreements between the United States and other countries for the repatriation of children. (Under current law the State Department is required to negotiate agreements between the United States and countries contiguous to the United States for the repatriation of children.) An unaccompanied child who is not a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, and does not have a fear of returning to his or her country of nationality or last habitual residence, but who is: in removal proceedings shall have a hearing before an immigration judge within 14 days, in federal custody shall be transferred to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) custody within 30 days, and in HHS or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody shall have access to legal counsel at no cost to the government. HHS, before placing a child with an individual, shall provide DHS with the individual's name, Social Security number, date of birth, residence location, and immigration status, if known. DHS shall investigate the immigration status of the individual with whom the child is placed, and initiate removal proceedings if that individual is unlawfully present in the United States. Such requirements are applied to any unauthorized child apprehended on or after June 15, 2012. The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended with respect to: (1) special immigrant juvenile status, and (2) jurisdiction of asylum applications.

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

Protection of Children Act of 2015

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. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31] · 40 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), Roger Williams (R-TX), Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann (R-TN), Randy K. Weber, Sr. (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Mike Rogers (R-AL), Brian Babin (R-TX), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ), Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Austin Scott (R-GA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31] reported raising $1.5 million (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 (4)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr1149.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr1149 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114