I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2620 
To end the use of child soldiers in hostilities around the world, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 7, 2007 
Mr. MARSHALL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To end the use of child soldiers in hostilities around the 
world, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Soldier Preven-
tion Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) According to the September 7, 2005, report 
to the General Assembly of the United Nations by 
the Special Representative of the Secretary-General 
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for Children and Armed Conflict, ‘‘In the last dec-
ade, two million children have been killed in situa-
tions of armed conflict, while six million children 
have been permanently disabled or injured. Over 
250,000 children continue to be exploited as child 
soldiers and tens of thousands of girls are being sub-
jected to rape and other forms of sexual violence.’’. 
(2) According to the Center for Emerging 
Threats and Opportunities (CETO), Marine Corps 
Warfighting Laboratory, ‘‘The Child Soldier Phe-
nomenon has become a post-Cold War epidemic that 
has proliferated to every continent with the excep-
tion of Antarctica and Australia.’’. 
(3) Many of the children currently serving in 
armed forces or paramilitaries were forcibly con-
scripted through kidnapping or coercion, a form of 
human trafficking, while others joined military units 
due to economic necessity, to avenge the loss of a 
family member, or for their own personal safety. 
(4) Some military and militia commanders force 
child soldiers to commit gruesome acts of ritual 
killings or torture, including acts of violence against 
other children. 
(5) Many female child soldiers face the addi-
tional psychological and physical horrors of rape and 
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sexual abuse, enslavement for sexual purposes by mi-
litia commanders, and severe social stigma should 
they return home. 
(6) Some military and militia commanders tar-
get children for recruitment because of their psycho-
logical immaturity and vulnerability to manipulation 
and indoctrination. Children are often separated 
from their families in order to foster dependence on 
military units and leaders. Consequently, many of 
these children suffer from deep trauma and are in 
need of psychological counseling and rehabilitation. 
(7) Child soldiers are exposed to hazardous con-
ditions and are at risk of physical injury and dis-
ability, psychological trauma, sexually transmitted 
diseases, respiratory and skin infections, and often 
death. 
(8) On May 25, 2000, the United Nations 
adopted and opened for signature, ratification, and 
accession the Optional Protocol to the Convention on 
the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Chil-
dren in Armed Conflict (in this Act referred to as 
the ‘‘Optional Protocol’’), which establishes 18 as 
the minimum age for conscription or forced recruit-
ment and requires states party to ensure that mem-
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bers of their armed forces under the age of 18 do 
not take a direct part in hostilities. 
(9) On June 18, 2002, the Senate unanimously 
approved the resolution advising and consenting to 
the ratification of the Optional Protocol. 
(10) On December 23, 2002, the United States 
presented the ratified optional protocol to the United 
Nations. 
(11) More than 110 governments worldwide 
have ratified the optional protocol, establishing a 
clear international norm concerning the use of chil-
dren in combat. 
(12) On December 2, 1999, the United States 
ratified International Labour Convention 182, the 
Convention concerning the Prohibition and Imme-
diate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms 
of Child Labour, which includes the use of child sol-
diers among the worst forms of child labor. 
(13) On October 7, 2005, the Senate gave its 
advice and consent to the ratification of the Protocol 
to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Per-
sons, 
Especially 
Women 
and 
Children, 
Supplementing the United Nations Convention 
Against Transnational Organized Crime. 
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(14) It is in the national security interest of the 
United States to reduce the chances that members 
of the United States Armed Forces will be forced to 
encounter children in combat situations. 
(15) Section 502B(a)(3) of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(a)(3)) provides 
that ‘‘the President is directed to formulate and con-
duct international security assistance programs of 
the United States in a manner which will promote 
and advance human rights and avoid identification 
of the United States, through such programs, with 
governments which deny to their people internation-
ally recognized human rights and fundamental free-
doms, in violation of international law or in con-
travention of the policy of the United States as ex-
pressed in this section or otherwise’’. 
SEC. 3. CHILD SOLDIER DEFINED. 
In this Act, consistent with the provisions of the Op-
tional Protocol, the term ‘‘child soldier’’— 
(1) means— 
(A) any person under age 18 who takes a 
direct part in hostilities as a member of govern-
mental armed forces; 
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