Abandoned Infants Assistance Act Amendments of 1991
Public Law 102-236 · S. 1532 · 102nd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Dec 12, 1991 · Families
Sponsor: Sen. Howard Metzenbaum (D-OH)
Cosponsors (8): Sen. John McCain, Sen. Christopher Dodd,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Abandoned Infants Assistance Act Amendments of 1991 - Amends the Abandoned Infant Assistance Act of 1988 to revise and extend various grant programs.
Adds as a goal of the comprehensive services under such Act support of families to prevent abandonment of infants and children.
Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) from making any demonstration grant (for projects regarding abandonment of infants and young children in hospitals, under title I of such Act) unless the grant applicant agrees to give priority to abandoned infants and young children who: (1) are infected with, or have been perinatally exposed to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); or (2) have been perinatally exposed to a dangerous drug (hereinafter referred to as priority abandoned children).
Adds provisions for demonstration project grants for comprehensive service centers. Authorizes the Secretary to make such grants to model programs providing health, educational, and social services at a single site in a geographic area in which reside a significant number of priority abandoned children in order to prevent abandonment and to care for those who have been abandoned.
Includes the provision of services to all members of the natural family for any condition that increases the probability of abandonment of an infant or young child, under such demonstration projects to prevent abandonment.
Specifies that the abandoned infants and young children who are to be given particular consideration under residential care programs are those who are unable to reside with their families or to be placed in foster care.
Revises provisions for a study and report on numbers of abandoned infants and young children. Extends until April 1, 1992, the deadline for the Secretary to complete a study and report to the Congress on: (1) the number of infants and young children abandoned in hospitals in the United States and the number of such infants and young children infected with or perinatally exposed to HIV or perinatally exposed to a dangerous drug (priority abandoned children); and (2) an estimate of the annual cost to Federal, State, and local governments in providing housing and care for such infants and young children.
Defines the terms dangerous drug and natural family for purposes of such Act.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1995 for: (1) carrying out programs under such Act in general; (2) dissemination of information for individuals with special needs; and (3) administrative expenses, with specified limitations. Requires such funds to remain available until expended.
Repeals a provision for program termination which prohibited any demonstration grant after FY 1991.
Amends the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act to make uniform the effective date for compliance with such Act by certain collectively bargained benefits.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Dec 12, 1991Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-236.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 4, 1991PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 27, 1991Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendments Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Miller (CA) asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendments.
- Nov 26, 1991Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendments with an amendment (SP 1449) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Nov 19, 1991FloorFloor · A similar measure H.R. 2722 was laid on the table without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended to that of similar measure H.R. 2722. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · The House struck all after the enacting clause and inserted in lieu thereof the provisions of a similar measure H.R. 2722. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Payne (NJ) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- Oct 29, 1991FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Sep 25, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Jul 31, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Jul 23, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.