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H.R. 897: Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2019

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H.R. 897: Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-30 · Social Welfare · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-30 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] · 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 Worker and Family Support. 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

Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2019

Plain summary

Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2019 This bill prohibits discrimination or adverse action against a child welfare provider that declines to provide services due to the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. The prohibition applies to the federal government and any state, tribal, or local government that receives federal funding for child and family services or foster care and adoption assistance. However, government entities may still take adverse action against a provider that denies adoption or foster care placement based on the prospective parent or child's race, color, or national origin. If a state, tribal, or local entity engages in such prohibited actions, the Department of Health and Human Services shall withhold 15% of the federal funds the entity would have received to provide child and family services or foster care and adoption. The bill also provides a private right of action for child welfare providers to sue the government entity for such discrimination, and a prevailing provider shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs. A government entity that accepts federal funding for child and family services or foster care and adoption assistance shall have waived sovereign entity as a defense to such discrimination allegations.

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

Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2019

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. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] · 64 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), Tom Cole (R-OK), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), John R. Carter (R-TX), James Comer (R-KY), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Mike Johnson (R-LA), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Gary J. Palmer (R-AL), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Randy K. Weber, Sr. (R-TX), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rick W. Allen (R-GA), John H. Rutherford (R-FL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Jim Banks (R-IN), Trent Kelly (R-MS), Roger Williams (R-TX), Robert E. Latta (R-OH), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Ken Calvert (R-CA), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Don Bacon (R-NE), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Ron Estes (R-KS), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Michael Cloud (R-TX), William R. Timmons IV (R-SC) and 4 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] reported raising $1.4 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 (1)
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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr897 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116