[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 294 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 294

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 the people of the United States to secure 
          safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 13, 2013

Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Mr. Inhofe, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Grassley, Mr. 
 Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Blunt, Mr. King, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Thune, Mr. 
  Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Portman, Mr. Wicker, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. 
     Moran, Mr. Boozman, and Mr. Cochran) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was 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 the people of the United States to secure 
          safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.

Whereas there are millions of unparented children in the world, including 
        399,546 children in the foster care system in the United States, 
        approximately 102,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them;
Whereas 60 percent of the children in foster care in the United States 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 loving family in which they are 
        nurtured, comforted, and protected seems endless;
Whereas in 2012, nearly 26,000 youth ``aged out'' of foster care by reaching 
        adulthood without being placed in a permanent home;
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 although ``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 50 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 39 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 family reunification, kinship care, and domestic and inter-county 
        adoption promote permanency and stability to a far greater degree than 
        long-term institutionalization and long-term, often disrupted foster 
        care;
Whereas both National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month occur in the 
        month of 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, nearly 45,000 children 
        have joined forever families during National Adoption Day;
Whereas in 2012, a total of 390 events were held in 47 States and the District 
        of Columbia, finalizing the adoptions of 4,615 children from foster care 
        and celebrating an additional 500 adoptions finalized during November or 
        earlier in the year; and
Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual proclamation to declare the 
        month of November as National Adoption Month, and National Adoption Day 
        is on November 23, 2013: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, 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 people of the United States to consider 
        adoption during the month of November and all throughout the 
        year.
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