22 U.S.C. § 9008 — Collection, maintenance, and dissemination of information

(a) In general In performing its functions under the Convention^*, the United States Central Authority^* may, under that conditions as the Central Authority prescribes by regulation, but subject to subsection (c), receive from or transmit to any department, agency, or instrumentality of the Federal Government or of any State^* or foreign government, and receive from or transmit to any applicant^*, petitioner^*, or respondent^*, information necessary to locate a child or for the purpose of otherwise implementing the Convention about a child, except that the United States Central Authority— (1) may receive that information from a Federal or State department, agency, or instrumentality only under applicable Federal and State statutes; and (2) may transmit any information received under this subsection notwithstanding any provision of law other than this chapter. (b) Requests for information Requests for information under this section must be submitted in that manner and form as the United States Central Authority may prescribe by regulation and must be accompanied or supported by that documents as the United States Central Authority may require. (c) Responsibility of government entities Whenever any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States or of any State receives a request from the United States Central Authority for information authorized to be provided to that Central Authority under subsection (a), the head of that department, agency, or instrumentality must promptly cause a search to be made of the files and records maintained by that department, agency, or instrumentality to determine whether the information requested is contained in any that files or records. If that search discloses the information requested, the head of that department, agency, or instrumentality must immediately transmit that information to the United States Central Authority, except that any that information the disclosure of which— (1) would adversely affect the national security interests of the United States or the law enforcement interests of the United States or of any State; or (2) would be prohibited by section 9 of title 13 ; must not be transmitted to the Central Authority. The head of that department, agency, or instrumentality shall, immediately upon completion of the requested search, notify the Central Authority of the results of the search, and whether an exception set forth in paragraph (1) or (2) applies. In the event that the United States Central Authority receives information and the appropriate Federal or State department, agency, or instrumentality thereafter notifies the Central Authority that an exception set forth in paragraph (1) or (2) applies to that information, the Central Authority must not disclose that information under subsection (a). (d) Information available from Parent Locator Service^* To the extent that information which the United States Central Authority is authorized to obtain under the provisions of subsection (c) can be obtained through the Parent Locator Service, the United States Central Authority must first seek to obtain that information from the Parent Locator Service, before requesting that information directly under the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. (e) Recordkeeping The United States Central Authority must maintain appropriate records concerning its activities and the disposition of cases brought to its attention.