Rules Committee · Dec 16, 2025
H.Amdt. 135: Its purpose is not yet published.
Adopted
With no one objecting, no names recorded
A Republican bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Received in the Senate.
Passed one chamber, waiting for the other to take it up
Passed one chamber, and the other has not yet sent it to a committee or put it on its calendar.
The other chamber will hand it to a committee, place it on its calendar, or leave it where it is. Nothing has been decided, and a bill can sit here indefinitely.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House 225–201
- Awaiting Senate
What this bill would do
The ``Kayla Hamilton Act'' aims to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children by amending existing laws. It mandates new consultation requirements between the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Attorney General regarding the placement of unaccompanied alien children. The bill introduces stricter screening processes for children aged 12 or older, including checking for criminal records and gang-related markings. It also establishes criteria for placing certain children in secure facilities based on flight risk or danger to the community. Additionally, the act restricts who can serve as sponsors for these children.
Yes
- Scored +4
Would children be better off under this?
The bill mandates stricter background checks and vetting to protect children from traffickers, smugglers, and dangerous household members.
- Scored +3
Does this tighten control of the border?
The bill enhances the vetting and tracking of unaccompanied alien children entering the country through stricter placement and screening requirements.
The opposite· 3 of 5
- Scored -3
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill restricts potential sponsors to only U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and mandates secure placement for certain children.
- Scored -2
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
The bill implements stricter screening and potential secure placement for unaccompanied alien children based on criminal or gang-related indicators.
- Scored -2
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?
The bill increases detention and secure placement requirements for certain unaccompanied children during their immigration proceedings.
What Congress actually voted on
2 recorded votes have been taken on this bill. One of them decided something; the rest moved it along.
- The House: the vote on whether to pass the bill This is the real decision in this chamber. Passing here sends the bill to the other chamber, which must pass it too before it can go to the President. Passed 225 yes · 201 no
12/16/2025 · Roll call 340 · recorded as “On Passage”
- The House: a last attempt to send the bill back to committee The minority party's final chance to change or stall a bill just before the vote on passage. It almost always fails; when it succeeds, the bill does not get its final vote that day. Motion to recommit rejected 208 yes · 218 no
12/16/2025 · Roll call 339 · recorded as “On Motion to Recommit”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Protection from Victimization: The bill requires consultations to ensure that unaccompanied alien children are protected from smugglers, traffickers, gangs, and others who might seek to victimize or engage the child in criminal, harmful, or exploitative activity (Section 3, Section 235(c)(2)(A)(i)(II)).
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Enhanced Safety through Vetting: The Secretary of Health and Human Services must provide the Secretary of Homeland Security with specific information regarding individuals and adult residents in a household where a child is placed, including background and criminal records checks (Section 3, Section 235(c)(3)(D)).
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Prevention of Placement with High-Risk Individuals: The act prohibits placing children in the custody of individuals who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, or those residing with individuals convicted of specific crimes such as sex offenses, trafficking, domestic violence, or child abuse (Section 3, Section s 235(c)(2)(D)).
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Identification of Risks: For children 12 years of age or older, the bill requires contacting consulates to obtain arrest records and conducting examinations to identify gang-related tattoos or markings (Section 3, Section 235(c)(2)(A)(ii)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Mandatory Secure Placement: Certain unaccompanied alien children aged 12 or older may be required to be placed in a secure facility for the duration of their immigration proceedings if they are deemed a flight risk or a danger to themselves or the community (Section 3, Section 235(c)(2)(C)).
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Restrictions on Sponsorship: The bill prohibits the placement of children with any individual who is not a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident (Section 3, Section 235(c)(2)(D)(i)).
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Increased Burden on Children with Criminal Records or Gang Affiliation: Children who have been arrested, charged, or convicted of a criminal offense, or who possess gang-related tattoos or markings, may face different placement requirements (Section 3, Section 235(c)(2)(A)(iii) and Section 235(c)(2)(C)(ii)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this tighten control of the border? — The bill enhances the vetting and tracking of unaccompanied alien children entering the country through stricter placement and screening requirements. Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill increases detention and secure placement requirements for certain unaccompanied children during their immigration proceedings. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill implements stricter screening and potential secure placement for unaccompanied alien children based on criminal or gang-related indicators. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill imposes stricter requirements on potential sponsors, which may limit the support networks available to unaccompanied children.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill mandates stricter background checks and vetting to protect children from traffickers, smugglers, and dangerous household members. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill restricts potential sponsors to only U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and mandates secure placement for certain children. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill introduces stricter vetting and potential secure facility placement for unaccompanied alien children, who are disproportionately Hispanic.
- 12/17/2025
- Received in the Senate.
- 12/16/2025
- The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 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)
- 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)
- On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 208 - 218 (Roll no. 339).
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5933-5934)
- 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.
- The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
- Ms. Stansbury moved to recommit to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H5927)
- The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4371.
- 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.
- Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 951. (consideration: CR H5921-5927)
- Rule H. Res. 951 passed House.
- 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.
- 10/17/2025
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-345.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 297.
- 9/10/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 16 - 13.
- 7/14/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
- 119-S-3054: Kayla Hamilton Act
- 119-HRES-951: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4776) to amend the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to clarify ambiguous provisions and facilitate a more efficient, effective, and timely environmental review process; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1366) to provide for the location of multiple hardrock mining mill sites, to establish the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 845) to require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue regulations removing the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3616) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review regulations that may affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3632) to amend the Federal Power Act to adjust the requirements for orders, rules, and regulations relating to furnishing adequate service, to require owners or operators of generating facilities to provide notice of planned retirements of certain electric generating units, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4371) to amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children.
Barry MooreRepublican · Alabama
Troy NehlsRepublican · Texas