The Senate passed a bill Wednesday night updating U.S. standards on foreign adoption services.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act, S. 3331, which would apply universal intercountry adoption accreditation standards to any person providing adoption services in connection with a foreign orphan under age 16 adopted by a U.S. citizen. 

The bill brings U.S. law in line with the United Nation’s Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption and gives the U.S Attorney General authority to ensure adoption services in the United States are provided in connection the convention, among other things.

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) co-sponsored the bill. The bipartisan bill, which passed by voice-vote, now heads to the House for further consideration.

We expect the House version, H.R. 6027 to be passed before the holiday recess.