North Korean Child Welfare Act of 2012
Public Law 112-264 · H.R. 1464 · 112th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Jan 14, 2013 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA-40)
Cosponsors (55): Rep. Mazie Hirono, Rep. Aaron Schock,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
North Korean Child Welfare Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of State to designate a representative to regularly brief Congress on U.S. efforts to advocate for the best interests of North Korean children and children of one North Korean parent, including efforts to address the adoption of such children living outside North Korea without parental care.
Directs such designee to address the Department of State's: (1) analysis of the challenges facing North Korean children residing outside North Korea and challenges facing children of one North Korean parent in other countries who are fleeing persecution or are living as de jure or de facto stateless persons (such North Korean children); (2) efforts to advocate for the best interest of such North Korean children, including family reunification efforts and the adoption of North Korean children living outside North Korea and children of one North Korean parent living outside North Korea; (3) efforts to address challenges that U.S. citizens would encounter in attempting to adopt such North Korean children, including efforts to overcome the complexities involved in best interest determinations and adoption processing of those who habitually reside in a Hague country or a non-Hague country; (4) diplomatic efforts to encourage countries in which North Korean children or children of one North Korean parent are fleeing persecution or reside as de jure or de facto stateless persons to resolve issues of statelessness of North Koreans residing in that country; and (5) efforts to work with the Republic of Korea to establish pilot programs that assist in the family reunification of North Korean children and children of one North Korean parent living within South Korea and other countries who are fleeing persecution or are living as de jure or de facto stateless persons.
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.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 416Related bill
North Korean Refugee Adoption Act of 2011
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Jan 14, 2013Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 112-264.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jan 2, 2013FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jan 1, 2013Resolving 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 amendments Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Ms. Ros-Lehtinen asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendments.
- FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.
- Dec 30, 2012FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 28, 2012FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 12, 2012CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Sep 11, 2012FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1464.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Ms. Ros-Lehtinen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Apr 8, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
2 amendments offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 3443SenateSen. Richard BurrR-NC· offered Dec 28, 2012Agreed to
To amend the title.
Dec 28, 2012: Amendment SA 3443 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 3442SenateSen. Richard BurrR-NC· offered Dec 28, 2012Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Dec 28, 2012: Amendment SA 3442 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.