US Code

Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

34 U.S.C. § 11292

Definitions

For the purpose of this subchapter—
(1)
the term “missing child” means any individual less than 18 years of age whose whereabouts are unknown to such individual’s parent;
(2)
the term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention;
(3)
the term “Center” means the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;
(4)
the term “parent” includes a legal guardian or other individual who may lawfully exercise parental rights with respect to the child; and
(5)
section 2256 of title 181
1 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.
the term “child sexual abuse material” has the meaning given the term “child pornography” in ; 

Pub. L. 93–415, title IV, § 403Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 66098 Stat. 2126 Pub. L. 106–71, § 2(b)113 Stat. 1034 Pub. L. 109–248, title I, § 154(b)120 Stat. 611 Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 689b(c)120 Stat. 1450 Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(b)132 Stat. 3757 Pub. L. 115–393, title II, § 202(b)132 Stat. 5268 Pub. L. 118–65, § 2(a)138 Stat. 1439 (, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

section 5772 of Title 42Section was formerly classified to , The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Some section numbers or references in amendment notes below reflect the classification of such sections or references prior to editorial reclassification.

Prior Provisions

section 403 of Pub. L. 93–415section 3883 of Title 42Pub. L. 95–115, § 1091 Stat. 1061 Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title II, § 12221(a)(4)116 Stat. 1894 A prior amended , The Public Health and Welfare, and was repealed by , , , and , , .

Amendments

Pub. L. 118–652024—Par. (5). added par. (5).

Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(b)(1)Pub. L. 115–393, § 202(b)(1)2018—Par. (1). , and , amended section identically, adding par. (1) and striking out former par. (1) which read as follows: “the term ‘missing child’ means any individual less than 18 years of age whose whereabouts are unknown to such individual’s legal custodian;”.

Pub. L. 115–267, § 2(b)(2)Pub. L. 115–393, § 202(b)(2)Par. (4). –(4), and –(4), amended section identically, adding par. (4).

Pub. L. 109–295section 5122 of this titlePub. L. 109–2482006—Par. (1). , which directed amendment of par. (1) by striking out “or” at the end of subpar. (A), inserting “or” after the semicolon in subpar. (B), and adding after subpar. (B) subpar. (C) “the individual is an individual under 21 years of age who is displaced from the habitual residence of that individual as a result of an emergency or major disaster (as those terms are defined in ).”, could not be executed because of the prior amendment by , see below.

Pub. L. 109–24842 U.S.C. 5772Pub. L. 93–415, which directed amendment of “Section 403(1) of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 ()” by substituting a semicolon at end for “if—” through subpar. (B), was executed by substituting a semicolon for “if—”and subpars. (A) and (B) of par. (1) of this section, which is section 403 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, , as added by section 660 of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Prior to amendment, subpars. (A) and (B) read as follows:

“(A) the circumstances surrounding such individual’s disappearance indicate that such individual may possibly have been removed by another from the control of such individual’s legal custodian without such custodian’s consent; or

“(B) the circumstances of the case strongly indicate that such individual is likely to be abused or sexually exploited;”.

Pub. L. 106–711999—Par. (3). added par. (3).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–267section 4 of Pub. L. 115–267section 11291 of this titleAmendment by effective , and applicable to fiscal years beginning after , see , set out as a note under .