Protecting Adoption Act

The Protecting Adoption Act (H.R. 2818) would create a national, automated "Responsible Father Registry" to help identify and notify potential biological fathers during adoption or child placement proceedings. The bill allows men to voluntarily register their contact information to ensure they are informed if a child they may have fathered is being placed for adoption or if parental rights are being terminated.

For citizens, this legislation aims to provide greater legal certainty for adoptive parents and children by reducing the risk of adoption proceedings being overturned due to a lack of notification to a biological father. It also provides a centralized system for men to assert their parental interests across state lines, while limiting access to this sensitive information to authorized parties such as adoption agencies, attorneys, and state courts.