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S 844 103th Congress Senate

Fairness for Adopted Children Act

Official title: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program to fund maternity home expenses and improve programs for the collection and disclosure of … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program to fund maternity home expenses and improve programs for the collection and disclosure of adoption information, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 29, 1993 See on congress.gov
Families Administrative procedureAdopted childrenAdoptionChildbirth
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Civil actions and liabilityCongressional reporting requirementsData banksDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDisabledDiscrimination in employmentDiscrimination in insuranceEducationFederal advisory bodiesFederal aid to educationFederal aid to higher educationFederal aid to maternal health servicesGovernment paperworkGraduate educationHealth
This bill died when the 103rd Congress ended
It never became law before the 103rd Congress (1993–1994) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 29, 1993
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Apr 29, 1993
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5191-5192, S5196)
Apr 29, 1993
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action April 29, 1993

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Fairness for Adopted Children Act - Establishes the National Advisory Council on Adoption (the Council), to be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Authorizes appropriations for FY 1993 through 1995. Terminates such Council after three years.

Directs the Secretary of HHS to: (1) report to the Congress, within 30 days, on the status of the implementation of the adoption data collection system required under specified provisions of the Social Security Act; (2) report monthly to the Congress on the progress made in implementing such system; and (3) consult with the Council in developing regulations to carry out such reporting requirements.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to award grants to States to enable them to establish programs to provide maternal health certificates to eligible pregnant women who are residents of a maternity home, or on a waiting list or receiving out-patient services from a maternity home. Limits such women's income to 175 percent of the State poverty level, not including support received from parents, guardians, or the father of the child.

Sets forth eligibility requirements for the maternity home, including that it have the capability to serve at least four pregnant women concurrently.

Requires the use of certificates to pay the reasonable costs associated with residence in, or services of, the maternity home. Allows the use of certificates to cover expenses incurred during a period that ends not later than one month after the birth of the child. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1993 through 1995.

Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish a program of fellowships for graduate study in social work, in innovative programs concerning the effects of adoption on the adopted children, their adoptive families, and their biological parents who make an adoption plan. Authorizes of appropriations for FY 1993 through 1995.

Directs the Secretary of Education, within one year after enactment of this Act, to make grants to States to carry out adoption education programs. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1993 through 1995.

Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to prohibit discrimination by insurance companies in the writing or executing of insurance policies on the basis of whether a child is adopted.

Makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discriminate against an employee with respect to a term or condition of any leave benefit on the basis of the fact that a child of an employee is not a biological child.

Amends the Social Security Act to provide payments to States for expenses incurred in placing a child with special needs in adoptive homes if the child is placed within three months of becoming available for adoption.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that each State should adopt and enforce specified types of adoption laws, rules, or regulations.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 844: Fairness for Adopted Children Act. 103rd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/103-S-844/
MLA
"S. 844: Fairness for Adopted Children Act." 103rd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/103-S-844/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 844, 103rd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/103-S-844/.
Markdown link
[S. 844: Fairness for Adopted Children Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/103-S-844/)
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