---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 673a"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "673a"
heading: "Interstate compacts"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/673a"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter IV — Grants to States for Aid and Services to Needy Families with Children and for Child-Welfare Services"
  - "Part E — Federal Payments for Foster Care, Prevention, and Permanency"
---

# §673a. Interstate compacts


The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) of Health and Human Services shall take all possible steps to encourage and assist the various [States](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) to enter into interstate [compacts](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=4) (which are hereby approved by the Congress) under which the interests of any adopted [child](/usc/42/675.md?p=8-A) with respect to whom an [adoption assistance agreement](/usc/42/675.md?p=3) has been entered into by a [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) under [section 673 of this title](/usc/42/673.md) will be adequately protected, on a reasonable and equitable basis which is approved by the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6), if and when the [child](/usc/42/675.md?p=8-A) and his or her adoptive parent (or [parents](/usc/42/675.md?p=2)) move to another [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–272, title I, § 101(a)(4)(B), June 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 512.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, and not as part of the Social Security Act which comprises this chapter.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted in text for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” pursuant to section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88, which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.