Child Marriage Prevention Act: Setting 18 as the Minimum Age.
This Act aims to comprehensively eliminate child marriage in the US, recognizing it as a form of abuse that harms minors' health, education, and safety. It establishes federal commissions and financial incentives for states to set the minimum marriage age at 18 without exceptions. Crucially, it tightens immigration rules for marriage-based visas to prevent the system from facilitating marriages involving minors.
Key points
States that set the minimum marriage age at 18 without exceptions will receive increased federal funding for violence prevention programs.
Immigration rules are tightened: Both the US citizen/resident and the noncitizen spouse/fiancé must generally be 18 years old for marriage-based visa petitions.
A National Commission will be established to study the extent and impact of child marriage across the country and recommend solutions.
Expired
Additional Information
Print number: 118_S_4990
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Process start date: 2024-08-01