Bill · S. 5060· Senate(119-S-5060)
Child Marriage Prevention Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 7/21/2026
- Last activity
- 7/21/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S4190-4194)
- Sponsored by
- Richard Durbin
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 0
- 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
Would children be better off under this?+7
The bill creates protections and legal avenues to prevent and exit marriages involving minors.
Would women be better off under this?+6
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?+5
The bill provides mechanisms for married minors to petition to have their marriages voided.
The opposite
Would immigrants be better off under this?-3
The bill imposes more stringent age and humanitarian requirements for noncitizen spouses and fiances.
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?-2
The bill adds stricter age and humanitarian exception requirements for certain noncitizen spouse and fiance visa classifications.
Does this tighten control of the border?-1
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
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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)).
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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)).
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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)).
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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)).
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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)).
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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
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Immigration Restrictions: The bill modifies visa classifications for noncitizen fiances or spouses, requiring specific age and humanitarian standards (Section 10(b)).
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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. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+7Good For Women+6Good For Young Adults+5Good For Low Income Households+3Good For Hispanic Americans+1Good For Immigrants-3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Gender Equality+5Improves Poverty Reduction+3Improves Pathway To Citizenship-2Improves Border Security-1
- Education And Technology
- Improves College Affordability+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2
- Healthcare
- Improves Mental Health Access+2
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Fiscal Responsibility+1
- 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