A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S4190-4194)
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Child Marriage Prevention Act of 2026 aims to comprehensively combat child marriage within the United States. It establishes a National Commission to conduct studies and provide recommendations to eliminate child marriage. The bill creates a grant program for State task forces to examine the risks and negative impacts of these marriages. It also includes incentives for States to pass laws setting the minimum marriage age at 18. Additionally, the act modifies immigration laws regarding noncitizen spouses and fiances to address child marriage concerns.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +7
Would children be better off under this?
The bill creates protections and legal avenues to prevent and exit marriages involving minors.
- Scored +6
Would women be better off under this?
The bill targets the reduction of child marriage which disproportionately impacts women's health and education.
- Scored +5
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The bill provides mechanisms for married minors to petition to have their marriages voided.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill imposes more stringent age and humanitarian requirements for noncitizen spouses and fiances.
- Scored -2
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?
The bill adds stricter age and humanitarian exception requirements for certain noncitizen spouse and fiance visa classifications.
- Scored -1
Does this tighten control of the border?
The bill introduces more rigorous interview requirements and humanitarian standards for noncitizen spouses and fiances.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Establishing a National Commission: This commission will conduct a comprehensive study on the extent of child marriage and its legal definitions to inform effective strategies for elimination (Section 4(a)).
-
State Task Force Grants: Eligible States can receive grants to establish task forces that examine risk factors and develop policy recommendations to protect individuals from the negative impacts of child marriage (Section 6(a)).
-
Incentives for Law Changes: The bill provides increased funding for State formula grants to States that implement laws prohibiting marriage for individuals under the age of 18 (Section 7(b)).
-
Model State Statutes: The Department of Justice will create a model statute that allows married minors to petition to have their marriages voided (Section 9(a)).
-
Immigration Protections: The bill modifies immigration provisions to allow for specific visa exceptions for those who can establish a compelling, urgent humanitarian reason for a visa (Section s 10(b)).
-
Increased Public Education: The government will provide educational materials and information in multiple languages regarding the harmful impacts of child marriage and available support services (Section 10(g)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Immigration Restrictions: The bill modifies visa classifications for noncitizen fiances or spouses, requiring specific age and humanitarian standards (Section 10(b)).
-
Mandatory Interviews: Immigration officers will be required to conduct separate, private interviews for parties where at least one person was under 18 at the time of marriage or engagement (Section 10(e)).
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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill creates protections and legal avenues to prevent and exit marriages involving minors. Would women be better off under this? — The bill targets the reduction of child marriage which disproportionately impacts women's health and education. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill provides mechanisms for married minors to petition to have their marriages voided. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill targets child marriage to reduce the long-term risk of poverty for affected individuals. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides multilingual educational materials to assist immigrant communities with new immigration rules. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill imposes more stringent age and humanitarian requirements for noncitizen spouses and fiances.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill aims to protect girls from the disproportionate risks of child marriage, which the text notes negatively impacts women's education and health. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill seeks to eliminate child marriage, which is noted as a factor that increases the likelihood of living in future poverty. Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill adds stricter age and humanitarian exception requirements for certain noncitizen spouse and fiance visa classifications. Does this tighten control of the border? — The bill introduces more rigorous interview requirements and humanitarian standards for noncitizen spouses and fiances.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — By combating child marriage, the bill aims to improve long-term educational and college graduation outcomes for young women.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill establishes a National Commission to conduct and report studies on the extent of child marriage in the United States.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill addresses the mental health challenges faced by survivors of child marriage through research and task forces.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The bill authorizes specific appropriations for a National Commission and State task forces.
- 7/21/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S4190-4194)
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Brian SchatzDemocrat · Hawaii