ADOPT Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Amy Klobuchar
Introduced
Summary
Creates criminal prohibitions on unlawful private domestic interstate adoption practices. This bill would make certain advertising, intermediary services, and unauthorized payments tied to interstate or foreign commerce federal offenses aimed at stopping exploitation in private adoptions.
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- Families and placing parents: Would aim to protect individuals and families from exploitation by banning deceptive ads, unlicensed intermediary activity, and certain payments connected to interstate or foreign adoption channels. It also seeks to ensure access to licensed, regulated providers and to prevent the commodification of children.
- Unlicensed intermediaries and organizations: Would criminalize prohibited conduct with penalties of up to $50,000 and 5 years imprisonment per violation for individuals. Organizations could face fines up to $100,000 per violation.
- Licensed agencies and certain professionals: Would exempt public child-placing agencies, private licensed child-placing agencies, attorneys licensed in the relevant state, certain 501(c)(3) groups acting under public contracts, and providers accredited under the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.
It would take effect 120 days after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Criminal penalties for unlicensed adoptions
This bill would make certain private domestic interstate adoption practices federal crimes. It would be illegal to knowingly place adoption ads that solicit parents, to offer paid adoption intermediary services, or to give more than $2,500 to a placing parent in connection with a birth and adoption before that parent consults a licensed agency or state-licensed attorney. The rule would apply when the conduct uses interstate or foreign commerce, travel, payments, or communications, or occurs in U.S. territory. Penalties per violation would be up to $50,000 and 5 years in prison for an individual, or up to $100,000 for an organization. Exceptions would cover public child-placing agencies, private licensed child-placing agencies licensed in the State involved, attorneys licensed in the State, certain 501(c)(3) contractors working for public agencies, and accredited intercountry adoption providers.
Effective date: 120 days after enactment
If enacted, the ADOPT Act would take effect 120 days after the date of enactment. That delay would decide when the new criminal rules, exceptions, and penalties begin to apply to providers, placing parents, prospective adoptive parents, agencies, and attorneys. The provision does not change the text of the rules; it only sets when they start to apply.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Cosponsors
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Sen. Husted, Jon [R-OH]
OH • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Roger Wicker
MS • R
Sponsored 2/5/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov