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Protect our Kids Act of 2012

Public Law 112-275 · H.R. 6655 · 112th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Jan 14, 2013 · Families

Sponsor: Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-25)

Cosponsors (17): Rep. Dave Camp,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 330 yea, 77 nay330–77
  • 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.

Protect Our Kids Act of 2012 - Establishes the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities to: (1) study the use of child protective services and child welfare services under titles IV and XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to reduce fatalities from child abuse and neglect; (2) develop recommendations to reduce such fatalities for federal, state, and local agencies, and private sector and nonprofit organizations, including recommendations to implement a comprehensive national strategy for such purpose; and (3) develop guidelines for the type of information that should be tracked to improve interventions to prevent such fatalities.

Requires any federal agency affected by a recommendation to report to Congress its response and plans to address it.

Amends SSA title IV part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) to make an adjustment to the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs with respect to deposits for FY2013-FY2014, reserving a specified amount for Commission activities.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 112th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 330 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

330 yea77 nay24 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(179)

Republicans who voted yea(151)

  • Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
  • Rep. Patrick MeehanR-PA-7
  • Rep. Jim GerlachR-PA-6
  • Rep. Bob DoldR-IL-10
  • Rep. Todd PlattsR-PA-19
  • Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
  • Rep. David ReichertR-WA-8
  • Rep. Mario Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
  • Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
  • Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
  • Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
  • Rep. Jon RunyanR-NJ-3
  • Rep. Charles DentR-PA-15
  • Rep. Christopher GibsonR-NY-20
  • Rep. Michael GrimmR-NY-13
  • Rep. Judy BiggertR-IL-13
  • Rep. Richard HannaR-NY-24
  • Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
  • Rep. Lou BarlettaR-PA-11
  • Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-4
  • Rep. Shelley CapitoR-WV-2
  • Rep. Michael FitzpatrickR-PA-8
  • Rep. David RiveraR-FL-25
  • Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
  • Rep. Michael TurnerR-OH-3
  • Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2
  • Rep. Mike SimpsonR-ID-2
  • Rep. Steve StiversR-OH-15
  • Rep. Aaron SchockR-IL-18
  • Rep. Robert TurnerR-NY-9
  • Rep. Nan HayworthR-NY-19
  • Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
  • Rep. Tom ColeR-OK-4
  • Rep. Rodney AlexanderR-LA-5
  • Rep. Mike RogersR-AL-3
  • Rep. Jeff FortenberryR-NE-1
  • Rep. Adam KinzingerR-IL-11
  • Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-3
  • Rep. Glenn ThompsonR-PA-5
  • Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-41
  • Rep. Jo Ann EmersonR-MO-8
  • Rep. Mike KellyR-PA-3
  • Rep. Ander CrenshawR-FL-4
  • Rep. John ShimkusR-IL-19
  • Rep. Joseph HeckR-NV-3
  • Rep. Steve WomackR-AR-3
  • Rep. Denny RehbergR-MT
  • Rep. Jo BonnerR-AL-1
  • Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
  • Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-44
  • Rep. Bill ShusterR-PA-9
  • Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
  • Rep. Pat TiberiR-OH-12
  • Rep. Rick CrawfordR-AR-1
  • Rep. Steve AustriaR-OH-7
  • Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4
  • Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
  • Rep. Rick BergR-ND
  • Rep. Leonard LanceR-NJ-7
  • Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
  • Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12
  • Rep. David DreierR-CA-26
  • Rep. Tom ReedR-NY-29
  • Rep. Gregg HarperR-MS-3
  • Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-3
  • Rep. Robert WittmanR-VA-1
  • Rep. Tim MurphyR-PA-18
  • Rep. Martha RobyR-AL-2
  • Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4
  • Rep. Kristi NoemR-SD
  • Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2
  • Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-24
  • Rep. Tom MarinoR-PA-10
  • Rep. Randy ForbesR-VA-4
  • Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4
  • Rep. Brett GuthrieR-KY-2
  • Rep. Jaime Herrera BeutlerR-WA-3
  • Rep. James RenacciR-OH-16
  • Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
  • Rep. Larry BucshonR-IN-8
  • Rep. Gus BilirakisR-FL-9
  • Rep. Peter RoskamR-IL-6
  • Rep. Lee TerryR-NE-2
  • Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
  • Rep. Jeff DenhamR-CA-19
  • Rep. Vern BuchananR-FL-13
  • Rep. Scott TiptonR-CO-3
  • Rep. Erik PaulsenR-MN-3
  • Rep. Tim GriffinR-AR-2
  • Rep. Mike RogersR-MI-8
  • Rep. Bob GibbsR-OH-18
  • Rep. Frank GuintaR-NH-1
  • Rep. Candice MillerR-MI-10
  • Rep. Michael McCaulR-TX-10
  • Rep. Scott RigellR-VA-2
  • Rep. Mark AmodeiR-NV-2
  • Rep. Allen WestR-FL-22
  • Rep. Bill CassidyR-LA-6
  • Rep. Renee EllmersR-NC-2
  • Rep. Cathy McMorris RodgersR-WA-5
  • Rep. Blaine LuetkemeyerR-MO-9
  • Rep. Bill JohnsonR-OH-6
  • Rep. Devin NunesR-CA-21
  • Rep. Daniel WebsterR-FL-8
  • Rep. Jean SchmidtR-OH-2
  • Rep. Charles BoustanyR-LA-7
  • Rep. John SullivanR-OK-1
  • Rep. Kevin McCarthyR-CA-22
  • Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
  • Rep. Phil RoeR-TN-1
  • Rep. Ralph HallR-TX-4
  • Rep. Eric CantorR-VA-7
  • Rep. Randy HultgrenR-IL-14
  • Rep. Mike CoffmanR-CO-6
  • Rep. Adrian SmithR-NE-3
  • Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
  • Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16
  • Rep. Gary MillerR-CA-42
  • Rep. Steve PearceR-NM-2
  • Rep. John MicaR-FL-7
  • Rep. Robert LattaR-OH-5
  • Rep. Vicky HartzlerR-MO-4
  • Rep. John KlineR-MN-2
  • Rep. Morgan GriffithR-VA-9
  • Rep. Richard NugentR-FL-5
  • Rep. Stephen FincherR-TN-8
  • Rep. Thomas RooneyR-FL-16
  • Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-49
  • Rep. Todd YoungR-IN-9
  • Rep. Paul RyanR-WI-1
  • Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
  • Rep. Bill PoseyR-FL-15
  • Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
  • Rep. Lynn JenkinsR-KS-2
  • Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
  • Rep. Quico CansecoR-TX-23
  • Rep. Robert HurtR-VA-5
  • Rep. Tim WalbergR-MI-7
  • Rep. Diane BlackR-TN-6
  • Rep. Sandy AdamsR-FL-24
  • Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
  • Rep. Kevin YoderR-KS-3
  • Rep. Reid RibbleR-WI-8
  • Rep. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
  • Rep. Joe WilsonR-SC-2
  • Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-5
  • Rep. Billy LongR-MO-7
  • Rep. Ted PoeR-TX-2
  • Rep. Michele BachmannR-MN-6
  • Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-40
  • Rep. Trent FranksR-AZ-2
Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1579 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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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.

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Related bills

3 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 3653Related bill

    Protect our Kids Act of 2011

  • S. 1984Related bill

    Protect our Kids Act of 2011

  • S. 3705Identical bill

    Protect our Kids Act of 2012

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.

  1. Jan 14, 2013Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 112-275.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jan 3, 2013FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Jan 2, 2013FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  5. FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  6. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  7. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Finance.
  8. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  9. Dec 19, 2012FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  10. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 330 - 77 (Roll no. 636).House roll call 636
  11. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  12. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  13. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6655.
  14. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  15. FloorFloor · Mr. Camp moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  17. Dec 13, 2012CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
  18. 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.

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Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.