Section was formerly classified to section 5771 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

A prior section 402 of Pub. L. 93–415 amended section 3888 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and repealed section 3889 of Title 42, and was repealed by Pub. L. 95–115, § 10, Oct. 3, 1977, 91 Stat. 1061, and Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title II, § 12221(a)(4), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1894.

2018—Pub. L. 115–393 made amendments to this section substantially identical to those made by Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(a). See Amendment notes below. Text of section is based on amendments by Pub. L. 115–267.

Par. (1). Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(a)(1), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “each year thousands of children are abducted or removed from the control of a parent having legal custody without such parent’s consent, under circumstances which immediately place the child in grave danger;”.

Par. (4). Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(a)(2)–(4), redesignated par. (6) as (4), inserted “, including child sex trafficking and sextortion” after “exploitation”, and struck out former par. (4) which read as follows: “in many cases, parents and local law enforcement officials have neither the resources nor the expertise to mount expanded search efforts;”.

Par. (5). Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(a)(2), (3), redesignated par. (7) as (5) and struck out former par. (5) which read as follows: “abducted children are frequently moved from one locality to another, requiring the cooperation and coordination of local, State, and Federal law enforcement efforts;”.

Par. (6). Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(a)(3), (5), redesignated par. (8) as (6) and inserted “and” at end. Former par. (6) redesignated (4).

Par. (7). Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(a)(3), (6), redesignated par. (10) as (7) and amended it generally. Prior to amendment, text related to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Former par. (7) redesignated (5).

Pars. (8) to (10). Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(a)(2), (3), redesignated pars. (8) and (10) as (6) and (7), respectively, and struck out par. (9) which read as follows: “the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention administers programs under this chapter through the Child Protection Division, including programs which prevent or address offenses committed against vulnerable children and which support missing children’s organizations; and”.

2013—Pub. L. 113–38 added par. (3) and redesignated former pars. (3) to (9) as (4) to (10), respectively.

2008—Pub. L. 110–240 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of pars. (1) to (5) stating findings of Congress concerning missing or abducted children and the role of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

2003—Pub. L. 108–96 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of pars. (1) to (21) stating findings of Congress.

1999—Pars. (9) to (21). Pub. L. 106–71 added pars. (9) to (21).

Pub. L. 115–267, § 4, Oct. 11, 2018, 132 Stat. 3760, provided that:

Subchapter effective Oct. 12, 1984, see section 670(a) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as an Effective Date of 1984 Amendment note under section 11101 of this title.

For short title of title IV of Pub. L. 93–415, which is classified to this subchapter, as the “Missing Children’s Assistance Act”, see section 401 of Pub. L. 93–415, set out as a Short Title of 1974 Act note under section 10101 of this title.