HR 4371
· 119th Congress
· Crime and Law Enforcement
Kayla Hamilton Act
Sponsor
Latest action
Received in the Senate.
Action timeline
Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.
Dec 17, 2025
introduced
Received in the Senate.
Dec 16, 2025
committee
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 951 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632 and H.R. 4371. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, under a structured rule and H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632, and H.R. 4371 under a closed rule. The resolution provides one motion to recommit on each bill.
Dec 16, 2025
passed
Rule H. Res. 951 passed House.
Dec 16, 2025
floor
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 951. (consideration: CR H5921-5927)
Dec 16, 2025
floor
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632 and H.R. 4371. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, under a structured rule and H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632, and H.R. 4371 under a closed rule. The resolution provides one motion to recommit on each bill.
Dec 16, 2025
floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4371.
Dec 16, 2025
floor
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Dec 16, 2025
floor
Ms. Stansbury moved to recommit to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H5927)
Judiciary Committee
Dec 16, 2025
floor
The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
Dec 16, 2025
floor
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate H.R. 4371, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and announced that the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Stansbury demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Dec 16, 2025
floor
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5933-5934)
Dec 16, 2025
floor
On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 208 - 218 (Roll no. 339).
Judiciary Committee
Dec 16, 2025
passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 201 (Roll no. 340). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H5921-5922)
Dec 16, 2025
passed
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 201 (Roll no. 340). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H5921-5922)
Dec 16, 2025
passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Dec 16, 2025
passed
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
Oct 17, 2025
committee
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-345.
Judiciary Committee
Oct 17, 2025
other
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 297.
Sep 10, 2025
committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Judiciary Committee
Sep 10, 2025
committee
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 16 - 13.
Judiciary Committee
Jul 14, 2025
introduced
Introduced in House
Jul 14, 2025
introduced
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Judiciary Committee
Text versions
Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.
CRS summaries
Plain-English summaries written by the Congressional Research Service — neutral, nonpartisan staff who summarize bills as they advance through stages. The authoritative description of what each version of the bill does.
00
Introduced in House
Jul 14, 2025
Kayla Hamilton Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider additional information when it makes placement determinations for unaccompanied alien children in its custody. Under federal law, an unaccompanied alien child is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody.
Current law requires HHS to (1) place a child in the least restrictive setting that is in the child's best interest, and (2) assess the safety and suitability of a sponsor prior to placing a child with that sponsor.
In determining the least restrictive setting, this bill requires (currently, permits) HHS to consider the child's danger to self, danger to the community, and flight risk. Additionally, the bill requires placement in a secure facility in the case of a child who is 13 years of age or older and has gang-related markings or tattoos or a history of gang-related arrests or criminal conduct.
In assessing the safety and suitability of a sponsor, this bill requires HHS to collect and provide to the Department of Homeland Security information about all adult residents of the household, including name, date of birth, Social Security number, immigration status, contact information, and the results of all background and criminal records checks. The bill also prohibits HHS from placing a child with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the United States.
via Congressional Research Service · published through congress.gov
Changelog
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih / is — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh / rfs — Referred to a committee for review.rh / rs — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs / pch — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh / es — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh / rds — Received by the other chamber.eah / eas — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath / ats — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih/is— Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh/rfs— Referred to a committee for review.rh/rs— Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs/pch— Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh/es— Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh/rds— Received by the other chamber.eah/eas— Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath/ats— Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr— Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl— Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp— Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.
+15
−51
26 unchanged
--- Reported (House)
+++ Engrossed (House)
@@ -1,45 +1,19 @@
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
-[H.R. 4371 Reported in House (RH)]
+[H.R. 4371 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
-Union Calendar No. 297
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4371
-[Report No. 119-345]
+_______________________________________________________________________
+
+AN ACT
To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection
-Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the
-trafficking of children.
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
-
-July 14, 2025
-
-Mr. Fry (for himself, Mr. Nehls, and Mr. Moore of Alabama) introduced
-the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the
-Judiciary
-
-October 17, 2025
-
-Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
-House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
-[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
-in italic]
-[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July
-14, 2025]
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-A BILL
-
-To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection
-Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the
-trafficking of children.
+Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
+enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
@@ -314,32 +288,22 @@
Homeland Security Act of 2002), that are pending or occur on or after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and all release
redeterminations.
-Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend the
-William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection
-Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Homeland Security Act of
-2002 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of
-children.''.
-Union Calendar No. 297
-
+
+Passed the House of Representatives December 16, 2025.
+
+Attest:
+
+Clerk.
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4371
-[Report No. 119-345]
-
_______________________________________________________________________
-A BILL
+AN ACT
To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection
-Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the
-trafficking of children.
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-October 17, 2025
-
-Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
-House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
+Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
+enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children.
Cosponsors (2)
Members who signed on to support this bill.