§9009 Office of Children’s Issues

Summary

The Secretary of State must name a high-ranking, experienced official to lead the Office of Children’s Issues who can provide steady, long-term management and who knows consular work. Starting April 1, 2000, enough case officers must be assigned so each officer's average caseload is no more than 75. Every U.S. diplomatic mission must have a staff member as the contact for parental child-abduction cases. The Office director must regularly update that embassy contact about U.S. children taken to that country. Beginning six months after November 29, 1999, and at least every six months after that, the Secretary must send each parent who asked for help a report on the case and what the State Department is doing, unless the case was closed and the parent was told why, or the parent asks not to receive reports.