Rights of the Child Act of 1997

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rights of the Child Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The United States is the only Western industrialized 
        nation which has neither ratified nor become a party to the 
        United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
            (2) During the 1990's, the United States had the worst 
        child poverty rate among Western industrialized nations: one-
        quarter of America's children lived in poverty.
            (3) One in 10 infants living in the United States has no 
        routine source of health care.
            (4) Forty percent of children in the United States are at 
        risk of school failure.
            (5) An estimated 1,800,000 teenagers were victims of 
        violent crimes in the United States in the early 1990's.
            (6) 2,600,000 children were reported abused and neglected 
        in 1991.
            (7) Approximately 144,000 babies will die in the United 
        States, over the next 4 years, before their 1st birthday.

SEC. 3. SUBMISSION OF UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE 
              CHILD.

    It is the sense of the Congress that the President should submit 
and seek the advice and consent of the Senate by December 31, 1998, to 
ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by 
the United Nations with the support of the United States on November 
29, 1989, and signed by Madeleine Albright acting as United States 
Delegate to the United Nations and on behalf of the United States 
Government on February 16, 1995.

SEC. 4. CONSULTATION WITH THE STATES.

    Prior to the submission under section 3, the Attorney General of 
the United States shall meet with the attorneys general of the States 
and territories of the United States for the purpose of determining 
their recommendations concerning any limitations in the form of 
reservations, declarations, statements, and understandings that should 
accompany a proposed resolution of ratification of the United Nations 
Convention on the Rights of the Child.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION AND REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established an advisory commission 
concerning the economic, social, cultural, political, and civil rights 
of children.
    (b) Composition.--The commission shall be composed of 11 persons, 
appointed as provided under subsection (c), with experience, expertise, 
and concerns pertaining to the economic, social, cultural, political, 
and civil rights of children as well as individuals who are parents or 
legal guardians of children.
    (c) Appointment.--Not later than March 1, 1998, the commission of 
shall be appointed as follows:
            (1) 5 persons appointed by the President.
            (2) 1 person appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (3) 1 person appointed by the majority leader of the House 
        of Representatives.
            (4) 1 person appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (5) 1 person appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (6) 1 person appointed by the minority leader of the House 
        of Representatives.
            (7) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (or a 
        designee of the Secretary).
    (d) Chairperson.--The President shall designate a chairperson of 
the commission.
    (e) Vacancies.--Vacancies in the commission shall be filled in the 
same manner as the original appointment.
    (f) Compensation.--Members of the commission shall serve without 
pay or other compensation.
    (g) Staff.--Such staff and administrative support as are necessary 
and appropriate shall be made available to the commission on a non-
reimbursable basis by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    (h) Report.--Not later than September 1, 1998, the commission shall 
submit to the Congress a report with any recommendations agreed to by a 
majority of its members stipulating any limitations to the Convention 
on the Rights of the Child that are advisable to facilitate 
ratification.
    (i) Termination.--Ninety days after the submission of the report 
under subsection (h) the commission shall cease to exist.

SEC. 6. INTERIM MEASURES IN SUPPORT OF INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED 
              RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.

    (a) ILO.--In addition to such amounts as are otherwise authorized 
to be appropriated, there are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 
for each of the fiscal years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 for a 
United States contribution to the International Labor Organization for 
the activities of the International Program on the Elimination of Child 
Labor.
    (b) UNCHR.--In addition to such amounts as are otherwise authorized 
to be appropriated, there are authorized to be appropriated $100,000 
for each of the fiscal years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 for a 
United States contribution to the United Nations Commission on Human 
Rights for programs relating to bonded child labor that are carried out 
by the Subcommittee and Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery.

SEC. 7. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF PRODUCTS MADE BY BONDED CHILD 
              LABOR.

    (a) Prohibition.--No product manufactured or mined, in whole or in 
part, by bonded child labor shall be imported into the United States.
    (b) Regulation.--The Secretary of the Treasury, in consulation with 
the Secretary of Labor, shall prescribe such regulations are are 
necessary and appropriate to carry out this section.
    (c) Definitions.--As used in this section the following terms have 
the following meanings:
            (1) The term ``bonded child labor'' means work or service 
        exacted from a child confined against the child's will, either 
        in payment for the debts of a parent, relative, or guardian, or 
        drawn under false pretext.
            (2) The term ``child'' means an individual who has not 
        attained the age of 18 years.

SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES THAT ALLOW CHILD 
              PROSTITUTION AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN.

    (a) Prohibition.--United States assistance may not be provided to 
the government of a foreign country for a fiscal year unless the 
President certifies to the Congress for such fiscal year that such 
government has enacted, and is enforcing, laws against child 
prostitution and the sexual exploitation of children.
    (b) Waiver.--The prohibition on foreign assistance under subsection 
(a) shall not apply with respect to a foreign country if the President 
determines and notifies the Congress that providing such assistance for 
such country is in the national security interest of the United States.
    (c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term ``United States 
assistance'' means assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.).
    (d) Effective Date.--The prohibition on foreign assistance under 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to fiscal year 1999 and 
subsequent fiscal years.

Summary: Rights of the Child Act of 1997 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should submit and seek the advice and consent of the Senate by December 31, 1998, to ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Directs the Attorney General, before such submission, to meet with the attorneys general of the States and US territories to determine their recommendations concerning any limitations that should accompany a proposed resolution of ratification of the U. N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Establishes an advisory commission concerning the economic, social, cultural, political, and civil rights of children. Directs the commission to report to the Congress any recommendations agreed to by a majority of its members on any limitations to the Convention on the Rights of the Child advisable to facilitate ratification. Authorizes additional appropriations for US contributions to: (1) the International Labor Organization for the activities of the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor. And (2) the U. N. Commission on Human Rights for programs relating to bonded child labor that are carried out by the Subcommittee and Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. Prohibits the importation into the United States of any product manufactured or mined, in whole or in part, by bonded child labor. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to carry out this prohibition. Prohibits US assistance to the government of a foreign country for any fiscal year unless the President certifies to the Congress for such fiscal year that such government has enacted, and is enforcing, laws against child prostitution and the sexual exploitation of children. Authorizes waivers of such prohibition in the national security interest of the United States.