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International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act of 1993

Public Law 103-173 · H.R. 3378 · 103rd Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Dec 2, 1993 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Rep. George Gekas (R-PA-17)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • 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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act of 1993 - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish penalties for removing a child from, or retaining a child outside, the United States with intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of parental rights.

Establishes as an affirmative defense that the defendant: (1) acted within the provisions of a valid court order granting custody or visitation rights obtained pursuant to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act; (2) was fleeing domestic violence; and (3) had physical custody of the child pursuant to a court order, failed to return the child as a result of circumstances beyond his or her control, notified or made reasonable attempts to notify the other parent or lawful custodian of the child of such circumstances within 24 hours after the visitation period had expired, and returned the child as soon as possible.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that procedures under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Parental Child Abduction should be the option of first choice for a parent who seeks the return of a child who has been removed from the parent.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out (under the State Justice Institute Act of 1984) national, regional, and in-State training and educational programs dealing with criminal and civil aspects of interstate and international parental child abduction.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.

  1. Dec 2, 1993Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 103-173.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 23, 1993PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 20, 1993FloorFloor · Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Schumer moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  10. Nov 17, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  11. Nov 16, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  13. Nov 2, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  14. Oct 27, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  15. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.