Word from Washington D.C. this morning is that H.R. 4282, the bill to implement the Hague Child Support Convention,  was passed by the U.S.

H.R.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights convened a hearing on July 28, 2011 to address ”Improving Implementation of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.” Witnesses included two members of the State Department:  Susan Jacobs, special adviser for children’s issues, in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, and Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of State, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Rep. Christopher Smith has introduced H.R. 1940, the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2011.  Among other provisions, the bill would extend new authority to the President and the State Department to respond to countries deemed to have a “pattern of noncompliance” with the Hague  Child Abduction Convention.  Information on the bill is available here.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights, chaired by Christopher Smith (R-NJ) has scheduled a hearing on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 2 pm, called “International Child Abduction: Broken Laws and Bereaved Lives.”  The announcement, including a list of witnesses, is here.