,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #gdb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #ab1 #bjai ,mr4   
,johnson 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,ern/1 & ,mr4 
,cotton7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on !
 ,judici>y  ,a ,,bill  ,to protect      
*ildr5 ?r\gh elim9at+ visa loopholes4   
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,protect+ ,*ildr5 ,?r\gh ,elim9at+    
,visa ,loopholes ,act4  #b4 ,s5se (     
,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t--  
7#a7 ! laws ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & !       
policies ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate aim to   
prev5t & r$uce ! risks ( *ild m>riages1 
sex traffick+1 & sexual abuse occurr+   
?r\gh\t ! _w2  7#b7 major loopholes 9   
,f$]al law h all[$ ?\s&s ( m9ors to be  
subject$ to *ild m>riages2  7#c7 "u !   
,immigration & ,nationality ,act 7#h    
,u4,s4,c4 #aaja et seq47--  7,a7 a      
,unit$ ,/ates citiz5 *ild may petition =
 an immigrant visa = a sp\se or fianc   
liv+ 9 ano!r c\ntry2 &  7,b7 a ,unit$   
,/ates citiz5 adult may petition = an   

immigrant visa = a m9or sp\se or fianc  
liv+ abroad2  7#d7 ! ,unit$ ,/ates      
,gov]nm5t has advocat$ = prev5t+ & r$uc+
 ! occurr5ce ( *ild m>riages ?r\gh\t !  
_w2  7#e7 ,congress pass$ ! ,viol5ce    
,aga9/ ,wom5 ,reau?orization ,act (     
#bjac 7,public ,law #aac-d71 :i*        
requires ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate to e/abli% 
& implem5t a multiye> /rategy--  7,a7 to
 prev5t *ild m>riages2 &  7,b7 to       
promote ! emp[]m5t ( girls at risk (    
*ild m>riage 9 develop+ c\ntries2  7#f7 
ackn[l$ges t al?\gh ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t  
is limit$ 9 its ability to address *ild 
m>riage )9 individual ,/ates1 e/abli%+ a
 m9imum age ( #ah ye>s = m>riage-bas$ & 
fianc-bas$ immigrant visa petitions is  
an imm$iate & viable solution = prev5t+ 
*ild m>riage ?r\gh exploitation ( !     
,unit$ ,/ates immigration sy/em2  7#g7  
affirms t *ild well be+ is a =emo/      
priority & consid]ation :5 impos+ /rict 
age requirem5ts = visa sp\sal & fianc   
petitions )9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates immigration
 sy/em2  7#h7 recognizes t "u ! curr5t  

immigration legal framework1 individuals
 may exploit visa m>riage & fianc       
petitions = nef>i\s purposes1 includ+-- 
7,a7 co]c+ =c$ m>riages2 &  7,b7 !      
traffick+ & abuse ( *ildr52 &  7#i7     
ackn[l$ges t betwe5 #bjjg & #bjag-- 7,a7
 loopholes 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates immigration
 laws result$ 9 ! approval by ,u4,s4    
,citiz5%ip & ,immigration ,s]vices (    
#h1hfh petitions involv+ m9ors = sp\sal 
or fianc entry into ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 &  
7,b7 girls 7 ! y\ng] p>ty 9 #ie p]c5t ( 
su* petitions4  #c4 ,protect+ *ildr5    
?r\gh elim9at+ visa loopholes  7a7      
,def9itions ,section #aja7;a7 ( !       
,immigration & ,nationality ,act 7#h    
,u4,s4,c4 #aaja7;a77 is am5d$--  7#a7 9 
p>agraph 7#ae77,k7-- 7,a7 9 ! matt]     
prec$+ clause 7i71 by /rik+ 7p7 (       
section #bad1 an ali5 & ins]t+ 7r7 (    
section #bad1 an ali5 :o is at lea/ #ah 
ye>s ( age2 &  7,b7 by ins]t+ :o is at  
lea/ #ah ye>s ( age aft] a citiz5 ( !   
,unit$ ,/ates ea* "t su* t]m appe>s2 &  
7#b7 9 p>agraph 7#ce71 by add+ at ! end 

! foll[+3 ,su* t]ms d n include any     
individual :o is y\ng] ?an #ah ye>s (   
age or :o is m>ri$ to an individual :o  
is y\ng] ?an #ah ye>s ( age44  7b7      
,effective date  7#a7 ,k nonimmigrants  
,! am5dm5ts made by subsection 7a77#a7--
 7,a7 %all take effect on ! date ( !    
enactm5t ( ?is ,act2 &  7,b7 %all apply 
to any petition or application seek+    
nonimmigrant /atus = any ali5 "u section
 #aja7;a77#ae77,k7 ( ! ,immigration &   
,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4         
#aaja7;a77#ae77,k77 t is p5d+ be=e any  
ag5cy1 (fic]1 or employee ( ! ,unit$    
,/ates on or aft] su* date ( enactm5t4  
7#b7 ,sp\se2 wife2 husb& ,! am5dm5t made
 by subsection 7a77#b7-- 7,a7 subject to
 subp>agraphs 7,b7 & 7,c71 %all take    
effect on ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act2  7,b7 subject to subp>agraph 7,c71
 %all apply to m>riages ent]$ into be=e1
 on1 or aft] su* date ( enactm5t2 &     
7,c7 %all apply to any petition or      
application = any /atus or b5efit "u !  
immigration laws 7z def9$ 9 section     

#aja7;a77#ag7 ( ! ,immigration &        
,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4         
#aaja7;a77#ag777 t is fil$ or o!rwise   
submitt$ on or aft] su* date ( enactm5t1
 except = a petition "u section #baf (  
su* ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aahf;a7 to      
remove ! conditional basis ( lawful     
p]man5t resid5ce bas$ ^u a grant (      
conditional lawful p]man5t resid5t /atus
 be=e su* date ( enactm5t4  7c7 ,rule ( 
con/ruction ,! am5dm5t made by          
subsection 7a77#b7-- 7#a7 %all apply to 
! immigration laws 7z def9$ 9 section   
#aja7;a77#ag7 ( ! ,immigration &        
,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4         
#aaja7;a77#ag7772  7#b7 may n be con/ru$
 to affect or modify any ref]5ce to1 or 
legal effect (1 any m>riage "u any      
provision ( ! immigration laws us+ a t]m
 n def9$ by su* am5dm5t1 includ+ :e!r   
any p]son is m>ri$ or has be5 born 9    
w$lock or legitimat$ = purposes (       
det]m9+ :e!r su* p]son is a *ild or is a
 m>ri$ or unm>ri$ son or daught]2 &     
7#c7 may n be con/ru$ to limit or modify

 ! eligibility ( any ,,vawa             
self-petition] 7z def9$ 9 section       
#aja7;a77#ea7 ( ! ,immigration &        
,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4         
#aaja7;a77#ea777 = any available relief 
"u ! immigration laws4