Federal commission to address child marriage

(a) In general There is established within the Department of Health and Human Services a commission, to be known as the National Commission to Combat Child Marriage in the United States (in this section referred to as the Commission), which shall— (1) conduct a comprehensive study on child marriage in the United States, including— (A) applicable laws, or the absence of laws, which define or prohibit child marriage; (B) the extent to which such marriages currently occur; and (C) the extent to which such marriages occurred over the last 5 years in each State; (2) build upon the evaluations of other entities and avoid unnecessary duplication, by reviewing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of other commissions, the Federal Government, State and local governments, State task forces, and nongovernmental entities relating to child marriage in the United States; (3) submit a report outlining the most effective strategies to eliminate child marriage in the United States informed by the study required under paragraph (1) to— (A) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; (B) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives; and (C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and (4) carry out other duties as described in subsection (c). (b) Composition of Commission (1) Members The Commission shall be composed of 10 members, of whom— (A) 1 member shall be appointed by the President; (B) 1 member, who is of a different political party than that of the member appointed under paragraph (1), shall be appointed by the President; (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (D) 1 member shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; (E) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; (F) 1 member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and (G) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. (2) Governmental appointees An individual appointed to the Commission may not be an officer or employee of the Federal Government. (3) Commission representation The Commission shall include at least— (A) 1 survivor of child marriage; (B) 1 representative from a private nonprofit entity with demonstrated expertise in working with survivors of child marriage in the United States; (C) 1 representative from a private nonprofit entity with demonstrated expertise in working with immigrant survivors of child marriage in the United States; and (D) 1 representative from a private nonprofit entity with demonstrated expertise in working with State governments to limit child marriage. (4) Qualifications Members appointed under paragraph (1) shall have demonstrated experience or expertise in— (A) providing services to survivors of child marriage in the United States; (B) providing services to immigrant survivors of child marriage in the United States; (C) working with State governments to limit child marriage; (D) the medical challenges that survivors of child marriage face; (E) the mental health challenges that survivors of child marriage face; (F) legal issues involving individuals who were married or sought to marry before becoming 18 years of age; (G) conducting research on the impact of child marriage on individuals who were married before becoming 18 years of age; (H) risk factors that play a role in child marriage; or (I) issues of forced or coerced marriage, family violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or child abuse. (5) Initial meeting Not later than 120 days after the appointment of members of the Commission, the Commission shall— (A) hold an initial meeting, at which the members shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, who shall be of different political parties, from among such members and shall determine a schedule of Commission meetings; and (B) begin the operations of the Commission. (6) Quorum and vacancy (A) Quorum A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings. (B) Vacancy Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. (c) Duties of the Commission The Commission shall— (1) conduct pursuant to subsection (a) a comprehensive study that examines and assesses the adequacy of laws addressing child marriage and the extent of child marriage across the country, including making specific findings relating to— (A) barriers to and gaps in services for minors facing the threat of forced marriage or already married minors seeking protection from abuse in all States and territories; and (B) Federal laws, regulations, policies, and programs relevant to child marriage and individuals who marry before becoming 18 years of age; and (2) submit to the President, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Congress a report on the specific findings, conclusions, and recommendations to eliminate all child marriage in the United States and improve services and outcomes for survivors of child marriage in the United States, including specific recommendations on policies, regulations, and legislative changes as the Commission considers appropriate to eliminate all child marriage in the United States. (d) Powers of the Commission (1) Hearings The Commission may hold such hearings, meet and act at such times and places, and receive such evidence as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Commission. (2) Information from Federal agencies (A) In general The Commission may access, to the extent authorized by law, from any executive department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality of the Federal Government such information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics as the Commission considers necessary to carry out this section. (B) Provision of information On written request of the Chairperson of the Commission, each department, bureau, agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, provide the requested information to the Commission. (C) Receipt, handling, storage, and dissemination Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and disseminated by members of the Commission and its staff consistent with all applicable statutes, regulations, and Executive orders. (3) Listening sessions The Commission shall organize and facilitate listening sessions with survivors of child marriage and advocates and experts working towards the elimination of child marriage in the United States in order to discharge its duties under this section. (4) Donations The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of donations of services or property. (5) Postal services The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as a department or agency of the United States. (e) Travel expenses Each member of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. (f) Federal Advisory Committee Act applicability Chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code, shall apply to the Commission, including the staff of the Commission. (g) Reports of Commission and termination (1) Interim report The Commission shall, not later than 1 year after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, submit an interim report containing preliminary findings, conclusions, and recommendations required under this section as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission members to— (A) the President; (B) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (C) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; and (D) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives. (2) Final report The Commission shall, not later than 2 years after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, submit to the officers and entities named in paragraph (1) a final report containing final findings, conclusions, and recommendations required under this section as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission members. (3) Termination (A) In general The Commission, and all the authorities of this section, shall terminate 180 days after the date on which the final report is submitted under paragraph (3). (B) Records Not later than the date of termination of the Commission under subparagraph (A), all records and papers of the Commission shall be delivered to the Archivist of the United States for deposit in the National Archives. (h) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028.