I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2532 
To realign structures and reallocate resources in the Federal Government 
in keeping with the core belief that families are the best protection 
for children and the bedrock of any society to bolster United States 
diplomacy targeted at ensuring that every child can grow up in a perma-
nent, safe, nurturing, and loving family, and to ensure that intercountry 
adoption to the United States becomes a viable and fully developed 
option for providing families for children in need, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 18, 2017 
Ms. GRANGER (for herself and Mrs. LAWRENCE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To realign structures and reallocate resources in the Federal 
Government in keeping with the core belief that families 
are the best protection for children and the bedrock 
of any society to bolster United States diplomacy tar-
geted at ensuring that every child can grow up in a 
permanent, safe, nurturing, and loving family, and to 
ensure that intercountry adoption to the United States 
becomes a viable and fully developed option for providing 
families for children in need, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:18 May 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2532.IH
H2532
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Vulnerable Children and Families Act of 2017’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents is 
as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings; purposes. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
TITLE I—REALIGNMENT OF CERTAIN INTERNATIONAL CHILD 
WELFARE RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS 
Sec. 101. Redesignation of Office of Children’s Issues as Office of Vulnerable 
Children and Family Security. 
TITLE II—ANNUAL REPORTING 
Sec. 201. Annual report on implementation of action plan. 
TITLE III—PROMOTION OF A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH FOR 
CHILDREN IN ADVERSITY 
Sec. 301. USAID obligations for coordinating with Office of Vulnerable Chil-
dren and Family Security. 
TITLE IV—FUNDING, RULE OF CONSTRUCTION, AND EFFECTIVE 
DATES 
Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 402. Rule of construction. 
Sec. 403. Effective dates. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The people of the United States recognize 
and believe that children should grow up in perma-
nent, safe, and nurturing families in order to develop 
and thrive. 
(2) Science shows that children, and particu-
larly infants, living in impersonal, socially deprived 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:18 May 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2532.IH
H2532
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS
institutions may suffer lasting, and in many cases, 
irreversible damage, including— 
(A) reduced brain activity and brain size; 
(B) lower intelligence quotients; 
(C) serious behavioral and emotional prob-
lems; and 
(D) disturbed relationships with others. 
(3) Governments in other countries seek models 
that promote the placement of children who are liv-
ing outside family care in permanent, safe, and nur-
turing families, rather than in foster care or institu-
tions; but many governments lack the resources or 
infrastructure to adequately address this need. 
(4) Despite the efforts of countless governments 
and nongovernmental organizations, millions of chil-
dren remain uncounted and outside of the protec-
tion, nurturing care, permanence, safety, and love of 
a family. 
(5) No reliable data currently exists to define 
and document the number and needs of children in 
the world currently living without families, but avail-
able evidence demonstrates that there are millions of 
children in this situation needing immediate help. 
(6) The Action Plan on Children in Adversity 
commits the United States Government to achieving 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:18 May 25, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2532.IH
H2532
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS