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The law › Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare › Chapter 7

42 U.S.C. 673: Adoption and guardianship assistance program

Created in 1980 by Public Law 96-272. Changed by 14 later laws. No bill we track in this Congress changes it.

12 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 10 U.S.C. 1052, 14 U.S.C. 2903, 42 U.S.C. 671, 42 U.S.C. 672, 42 U.S.C. 673a.

This Congress

No bill we track in the 119th Congress changes this section.

    How it got here

    2018

    • Pub. L. 115–123, in table, substituted entries for 2017 through 2023, 2024, and 2025 or thereafter for entries for 2017 and 2018 or thereafter. (Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018) Law text · (e)

    2014

    • Pub. L. 113–183, §206, amended par. (8) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (8) read as follows: "A State shall spend an amount equal to the amount of savings (if any) in State expenditures under this part resulting from the application of paragraph (2)(A)(ii) to all applicable chil… (Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 113–183, §207, added subpar. (C). (Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act) Law text · (d)

    2011

    • Pub. L. 112–34 inserted ", and shall document how such amounts are spent, including on post-adoption services" before the period. Law text · (a)

    2010

    • Pub. L. 111–148 inserted "division A of" before "subchapter XX". (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) Law text · (b)

    2008

    • Pub. L. 110–351, §101(c)(5), inserted "and guardianship" after "Adoption" in section catchline. (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §402(1)(A)(i), substituted "if—" for "if the child—" in introductory provisions, inserted cl. (i) designation and introductory provisions, redesignated former cls. (i) and (ii) as subcls. (I) and (II), respectively, of cl. (i) and substituted "subsection (c)(1)" … (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §402(1)(A)(ii), substituted "if—" for "if the child—" in introductory provisions, inserted cl. (i) designation and introductory provisions, redesignated former cls. (i) to (iv) as subcls. (I) to (IV), respectively, of cl. (i) and substituted "subparagraph (A)(i)(… (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §101(c)(1), added subpar. (D). (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §201(c), amended par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (4) read as follows: "Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, (A) no payment may be made to parents with respect to any child who has attained the age of eighteen (or, where the State determines that the… (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §402(1)(B), added pars. (7) and (8). (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (a), (8)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §101(f), added subpar. (C). (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (b)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §402(2), substituted "this section—" for "this section, a child shall not be considered a child with special needs unless—" in introductory provisions, inserted par. (1) designation and introductory provisions, redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and … (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (c)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §101(b), added subsec. (d). (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 110–351, §402(3), added subsec. (e). (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008) Law text · (e)

    2006

    • Pub. L. 109–171 amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) contained provisions relating to criteria used for determining whether a child met the requirements of par. (2) for purposes of par. (1)(B)(ii). (Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) Law text · (a)

    1997

    • Pub. L. 105–89 inserted at end "Any child who meets the requirements of subparagraph (C), who was determined eligible for adoption assistance payments under this part with respect to a prior adoption, who is available for adoption because the prior adoption has been dissolved and th… (Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 105–33, §5513(b)(3), substituted "July 16, 1996" for "June 1, 1995" wherever appearing. (Balanced Budget Act of 1997) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 105–33, §5513(b)(4), substituted "July 16, 1996" for "June 1, 1995". (Balanced Budget Act of 1997) Law text · (b)

    1996

    • Pub. L. 104–193, §108(d)(5)(A), inserted "(as such sections were in effect on June 1, 1995)" after "section 607 of this title", "(as so in effect)" after "specified in section 606(a) of this title", and "(as such section was in effect on June 1, 1995)" after "603". (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 104–193, §108(d)(5)(B), inserted "would have" before "received aid under the State plan" and "(as in effect on June 1, 1995)" after "602 of this title". (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 104–193, §108(d)(5)(C), inserted "(as in effect on June 1, 1995)" after "606(a) of this title". (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 104–193, §108(d)(6), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: "For purposes of subchapters XIX and XX of this chapter, any child— (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) Law text · (b)

    1994

    • Pub. L. 103–432, §266(a), substituted "section 674(a)(3)(E) of this title" for "section 674(a)(3)(C) of this title". · (a)
    • Pub. L. 103–432, §265(b), substituted "section 674(a)(3)(C) of this title" for "section 674(a)(3)(B) of this title". · (a)

    1987

    • Pub. L. 100–203, §9139(b), made technical amendment to Pub. L. 99–603. See 1986 Amendment note below. · (a)
    • Pub. L. 100–203, §9133(b)(3)(A), added cl. (iii). · (a)
    • Pub. L. 100–203, §9133(b)(3)(B), inserted "or (A)(iii)" after "(A)(ii)". · (a)
    • Pub. L. 100–203, §9133(b)(4), inserted sentence at end. · (b)

    1986

    • Pub. L. 99–603, as amended Pub. L. 100–203, §9139(b), inserted at end "The last sentence of section 672(a) of this title shall apply, for purposes of subparagraph (B), in any case where the child is an alien described in that sentence." · (a)
    • Pub. L. 99–514, §1711(a), substituted par. (1) and introductory text of par. (2) for former introductory text of par. (1) which read as follows: "Each State with a plan approved under this part shall, directly through the State agency or through another public or nonprofit private agency, make adop… · (a)
    • Pub. L. 99–514, §1711(a)(1), (c)(3), redesignated par. (2) as (3), substituted "payments to be made in any case under clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (1)(B)" for "adoption assistance payments", and inserted "made under clause (ii) of paragraph (1)(B)". Former par. (3) redesignated… · (a)
    • Pub. L. 99–514, §1711(a)(1), redesignated par. (3) as (4). Former par. (4) redesignated (5). · (a)
    • Pub. L. 99–514, §1711(a)(1), (c)(4), redesignated par. (4) as (5) and substituted "in accordance with applicable State and local law shall be eligible for such payments" for ", pursuant to an interlocutory decree, shall be eligible for adoption assistance payments under this subsect… · (a)
    • Pub. L. 99–514, §1711(b), added par. (6). · (a)
    • Pub. L. 99–272, §12305(a), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: "For purposes of subchapters XIX and XX of this chapter, any child with respect to whom adoption assistance payments are made under this section shall be deemed to be a dependent … · (b)
    • Pub. L. 99–514, §1711(c)(5), substituted "subsection (a)(2)" for "subsection (a)(1)". · (b)
    • Pub. L. 99–272, §12305(b)(1), substituted "without providing adoption assistance under this section or medical assistance under subchapter XIX" for "without providing adoption assistance", and inserted "or medical assistance under subchapter XIX" after "appropriate adoptive parents … · (c)

    1980

    • Pub. L. 96–272, §102(a)(3), inserted references to voluntary placement agreements in subpars. (A)(i) and (B)(i), (ii). · (a)

    Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.