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HR 2449 114th Congress House

Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Official title: To prohibit discrimination in adoption or foster care placements based on the sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status of any prospective adoptiv… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To prohibit discrimination in adoption or foster care placements based on the sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status of any prospective adoptive or foster parent, or the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child involved.

Introduced: September 9, 2015 See on congress.gov
Families Adoption and foster careCongressional oversightMarriage and family statusSex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizationsState and local government operations
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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
Jun 1, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
May 19, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
May 19, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 1, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Prohibits adoption or foster care placement service entities that receive federal assistance (or that contract with entities receiving such assistance) from using the sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status of a prospective adoptive or foster parent, or from using the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child, to: (1) deny a person the opportunity to become an adoptive or foster parent; (2) delay or deny the placement of a child for adoption or into foster care; or (3) require different or additional screenings or procedures for adoptive or foster placement decisions, including whether to seek the termination of birth parent rights or to make a child legally available for adoptive placement.

Allows individuals aggrieved by a violation of this Act to bring an action seeking relief in federal court.

Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to publish guidance on legal compliance and to assist entities with casework practices, recruitment efforts, and cultural competency training.

Allows HHS to withhold payments under part B (Child and Family Services) or part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to states that fail to comply with this Act.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 54
D
Beyer, Donald S.
Virginia · Nov 17, 2016
D
Dingell, Debbie
Michigan · May 26, 2016
D
Sánchez, Linda T.
California · May 26, 2016
D
Takano, Mark
California · May 26, 2016
D
Huffman, Jared
California · Apr 26, 2016
D
Brownley, Julia
California · Feb 10, 2016
D
Norcross, Donald
New Jersey · Dec 8, 2015
D
Welch, Peter
Vermont · Dec 8, 2015
D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · Nov 19, 2015
D
Bera, Ami
California · Oct 28, 2015
D
Pelosi, Nancy
California · Sep 9, 2015
D
Chu, Judy
California · Sep 8, 2015
D
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank"
Georgia · Sep 8, 2015
D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Sep 8, 2015
D
Meng, Grace
New York · Sep 8, 2015
D
Tonko, Paul
New York · Sep 8, 2015
D
Aguilar, Pete
California · Jul 29, 2015
D
Matsui, Doris O.
California · Jul 16, 2015
D
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Florida · Jul 16, 2015
D
DeSaulnier, Mark
California · Jul 8, 2015
D
Himes, James A.
Connecticut · Jul 8, 2015
D
Keating, William R.
Massachusetts · Jul 8, 2015
D
Larsen, Rick
Washington · Jul 8, 2015
D
Larson, John B.
Connecticut · Jul 8, 2015
D
Lofgren, Zoe
California · Jul 8, 2015
D
Moore, Gwen
Wisconsin · Jul 8, 2015
D
Smith, Adam
Washington · Jul 8, 2015
D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · Jun 23, 2015
D
Adams, Alma S.
North Carolina · Jun 12, 2015
D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Jun 12, 2015
D
Frankel, Lois
Florida · Jun 12, 2015
D
Quigley, Mike
Illinois · Jun 12, 2015
D
Wilson, Frederica S.
Florida · Jun 12, 2015
D
Beatty, Joyce
Ohio · May 21, 2015
D
Pocan, Mark
Wisconsin · May 21, 2015
D
Clark, Katherine M.
Massachusetts · May 19, 2015
D
DeGette, Diana
Colorado · May 19, 2015
D
DelBene, Suzan K.
Washington · May 19, 2015
D
Doggett, Lloyd
Texas · May 19, 2015
D
Duckworth, Tammy
Illinois · May 19, 2015
D
Lieu, Ted
California · May 19, 2015
D
McCollum, Betty
Minnesota · May 19, 2015
D
Meeks, Gregory W.
New York · May 19, 2015
D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · May 19, 2015
D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 19, 2015
D
Peters, Scott H.
California · May 19, 2015
D
Pingree, Chellie
Maine · May 19, 2015
D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · May 19, 2015
D
Schiff, Adam B.
California · May 19, 2015
D
Thompson, Mike
California · May 19, 2015
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2449: Every Child Deserves a Family Act. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2449/
MLA
"H.R. 2449: Every Child Deserves a Family Act." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2449/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2449, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2449/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2449: Every Child Deserves a Family Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2449/)
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