Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60
§14911 Designation of Central Authority
Title 42 › Chapter 143— INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTIONS › Subchapter I— UNITED STATES CENTRAL AUTHORITY › § 14911
Summary
The Department of State is the United States' central authority for the Convention, and the Secretary of State leads it. Unless the law says otherwise, the Secretary must handle the central-authority duties and can make rules needed to do that. Staff in the Office of Children's Issues who do the core work must have strong consular, adoption, or child‑services experience.
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 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60