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Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§14911 Designation of central authority

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 143— - INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTIONS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - UNITED STATES CENTRAL AUTHORITY › § 14911

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The U.S. Department of State is the central authority for the Convention, and the Secretary of State is its head. Unless another part of this chapter says otherwise, the Secretary of State must carry out all central authority duties and may make rules needed to do that. People in the Office of Children's Issues who do core work must have strong consular experience or personal or professional experience with international adoption or child services.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §14911

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For purposes of the Convention and this chapter—
(1)the Department of State shall serve as the central authority of the United States; and
(2)the Secretary shall serve as the head of the central authority of the United States.
(b)(1)Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the Secretary shall be responsible for the performance of all central authority functions for the United States under the Convention and this chapter.
(2)All personnel of the Department of State performing core central authority functions in a professional capacity in the Office of Children’s Issues shall have a strong background in consular affairs, personal experience in international adoptions, or professional experience in international adoptions or child services.
(c)Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the Secretary may prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out central authority functions on behalf of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b)(1), and (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 106–279, Oct. 6, 2000, 114 Stat. 825, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 14901 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 6, 2000, with transition rule, see section 505(a)(1), (b) of Pub. L. 106–279, set out as an

Effective Date

s; Transition Rule note under section 14901 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 14911

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73