CAPTA has been one of the key pieces of legislation guiding child protection in the United States since its original inception in 1974. The CAPTA has been reauthorized six times since 1974, most recently in June 2003, with each reauthorization adding amendments that expanded and refined the scope of the law. A legislative history of CAPTA is presented, which traces the development of the legislation from 1974 through 2003 when CAPTA was amended with the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act. Section 1 of the booklet provides the language of the CAPTA, including descriptions of its general program and community-based grants for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Section 2 presents the legislative language on adoption opportunities, outlining the Congressional findings and declaration of purpose on adoption, while Section 3 provides the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act (AIAA) of 1988.