[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 809 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 809

 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National 
  Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the 
  children in foster care awaiting families, celebrating children and 
families involved in adoption, recognizing current programs and efforts 
  designed to promote adoption, and encouraging people in the United 
  States to seek improved safety, permanency, and well-being for all 
                               children.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 15, 2012

 Mrs. Bachmann (for herself, Ms. Bass of California, Mr. Langevin, Mr. 
 Crenshaw, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Gary G. Miller of California, Mr. Brady of 
   Texas, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Garrett, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. 
   Roybal-Allard, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. 
  Rangel, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Grimm, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. 
Coble, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Hanna, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Ms. Clarke 
   of New York, Mr. Jones, Mr. Gallegly, Ms. Jenkins, Mr. Rogers of 
   Michigan, Mr. Farenthold, Mr. Sessions, Mr. King of New York, Mr. 
Nunnelee, Mr. Ross of Florida, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Towns, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. 
 Grijalva, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Luetkemeyer, Mr. 
 Huizenga of Michigan, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Waxman, Mr. 
 Cooper, and Mr. Young of Alaska) submitted the following resolution; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National 
  Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the 
  children in foster care awaiting families, celebrating children and 
families involved in adoption, recognizing current programs and efforts 
  designed to promote adoption, and encouraging people in the United 
  States to seek improved safety, permanency, and well-being for all 
                               children.

Whereas there are 400,540 children in the foster care system in the United 
        States, approximately 104,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt 
        them;
Whereas 59 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 
        approximately 2 years;
Whereas for many foster children, the wait for a permanent, adoptive, 
        ``forever'' family in which they are loved, nurtured, comforted, and 
        protected seems endless;
Whereas the number of youth who ``age out'' of the foster care system by 
        reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home has 
        increased by more than 55 percent since 1999, and more than 27,000 
        foster youth ``aged out'' of foster care during 2010;
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 while 3 in 10 people in the United States have considered adoption, a 
        majority of them have misconceptions 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 people in the United States believe that children enter 
        the foster care system because of juvenile delinquency, when in reality 
        the vast majority of children in the foster care system were victims of 
        neglect, abandonment, or abuse;
Whereas 46 percent of people in the United States believe that foster care 
        adoption is expensive, when in reality there is no substantial cost for 
        adopting from foster care, and financial support in the form of an 
        adoption assistance subsidy is available to adoptive families of 
        eligible children adopted from foster care and continues after the 
        adoption is finalized until the child is 18, so that income will not be 
        a barrier to becoming a parent to a foster child who needs to belong to 
        a family;
Whereas significant tax credits are available to families who adopt children 
        with special needs;
Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children 
        and Families, in a partnership with the Ad Council, supports a national 
        recruitment campaign for adoptive parents;
Whereas the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids features a photolisting website for 
        waiting foster children and prospective adoptive families at 
        www.adoptuskids.org, and in Spanish at www.adopte1.org;
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, over 30,000 children have 
        joined forever families during National Adoption Day;
Whereas in 2011, a total of 365 events were held in 47 States and the District 
        of Columbia, finalizing the adoptions of 4,187 children from foster care 
        and celebrating an additional 1,030 adoptions finalized during November 
        or earlier in the year;
Whereas National Adoption Month celebrates the gift of adoption, recognizing the 
        adoptive and foster families who share their hearts and homes with 
        children in need, and raises awareness of the need for families for the 
        many waiting children, particularly older children and teens, children 
        of color, members of sibling groups, and children with physical and 
        emotional challenges; and
Whereas November 2012 is National Adoption Month and November 17, 2012, is 
        National Adoption Day, and activities and information are available at 
        www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam and www.nationaladoptionday.org: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day 
        and National Adoption Month;
            (2) recognizes that every child in foster care deserves a 
        permanent and loving family; and
            (3) encourages the citizens of the United States to 
        consider adoption of children in foster care who are waiting 
        for a permanent, loving family.
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