III 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 291 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 29, 2009 Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Levin, Mr. Burr, Mr. Kerry, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Thune, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Reid, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Begich, Mrs. Hutchison, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Franken, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Hatch, Ms. Collins, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Brown, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Specter, Mr. Casey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Risch) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions November 3, 2009 Committee discharged; considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.

Whereas there are approximately 510,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, approximately 129,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them; Whereas 61 percent of the children in foster care are age 10 or younger; Whereas the average length of time a child spends in foster care is over 3 years; Whereas, for many foster children, the wait for a loving family in which they are nurtured, comforted, and protected seems endless; Whereas the number of youth who age out of foster care by reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home has continued to increase since 1998, and more than 26,000 foster youth age out every year; Whereas every day loving and nurturing families are strengthened and expanded when committed and dedicated individuals make an important difference in the life of a child through adoption; Whereas a 2007 survey conducted by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption demonstrated that though Americans overwhelmingly support the concept of adoption, and in particular foster care adoption . . . foster care adoptions have not increased significantly over the past five years; Whereas, while 4 in 10 Americans have considered adoption, a majority of Americans have misperceptions about the process of adopting children from foster care and the children who are eligible for adoption; Whereas 71 percent of those who have considered adoption consider adopting children from foster care above other forms of adoption; Whereas 45 percent of Americans believe that children enter the foster care system because of juvenile delinquency, when in reality the vast majority of children who have entered the foster care system were victims of neglect, abandonment, or abuse; Whereas 46 percent of Americans believe that foster care adoption is expensive, when in reality there is no substantial cost for adopting from foster care and financial support is available to adoptive parents after the adoption is finalized; Whereas both National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month occur in November; Whereas National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to find permanent, loving families for children in the foster care system; Whereas, since the first National Adoption Day in 2000, more than 25,000 children have joined forever families during National Adoption Day; Whereas, in 2008, adoptions were finalized for over 4,500 children through more than 325 National Adoption Day events in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam; and Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual proclamation to declare November as National Adoption Month, and National Adoption Day is on November 21, 2009: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)supports the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month; (2)recognizes that every child should have a permanent and loving family; and (3)encourages the citizens of the United States to consider adoption during the month of November and all throughout the year.