[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 502 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 495
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 502
Concerning the suspension of exit permit issuance by the Government of
the Democratic Republic of Congo for adopted Congolese children seeking
to depart the country with their adoptive parents.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 15, 2014
Mr. Portman (for himself, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Alexander, Ms. Ayotte, Ms.
Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Boozman, Mrs.
Boxer, Mr. Brown, Mr. Burr, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Coats, Ms.
Collins, Mr. Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Donnelly, Mr.
Durbin, Mr. Enzi, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Franken, Mrs.
Gillibrand, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Inhofe, Mr.
Johanns, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. King, Mr. Kirk, Ms. Klobuchar,
Mr. Levin, Mr. Markey, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. McCain, Mr. McConnell, Ms.
Mikulski, Mr. Moran, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Paul, Mr. Rubio,
Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Warner,
Ms. Warren, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Murray, Mr.
Toomey, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Cochran, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
July 29, 2014
Reported by Mr. Menendez, with an amendment and an amendment to the
preamble
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Concerning the suspension of exit permit issuance by the Government of
the Democratic Republic of Congo for adopted Congolese children seeking
to depart the country with their adoptive parents.
<DELETED>Whereas according to UNICEF, over 4,000,000 orphans are estimated to be
living in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
Whereas cyclical and violent conflict has plagued the Democratic Republic of
Congo since the mid-1990s;
Whereas the United States has made significant financial investments in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, providing an estimated $274,000,000
bilateral aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo in fiscal year 2013
and an additional $165,000,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance;
Whereas the policy of the United States Government toward the Democratic
Republic of Congo is ``focused on helping the country become a nation
that . . . provides for the basic needs of its citizens'';
Whereas the United Nations, the Hague Conference on Private International Law,
and other international organizations have recognized a child's right to
a family as a basic human right worthy of protection;
Whereas adoption, both domestic and international, is an important child
protection tool and an integral part of child welfare best practices
around the world, along with family reunification and prevention of
abandonment;
Whereas, on September 27, 2013, the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security,
General Direction of Migration, informed the United States Embassy in
Kinshasa that effective September 25, 2013, they had suspended issuance
of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the
country with their adoptive parents;
Whereas there are United States families with finalized adoptions in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and the necessary legal paperwork and
visas ready to travel home with these children but are currently unable
to do so; and
Whereas, on December 19, 2013, the Congolese Minister of Justice, Minister of
Interior and Security, and the General Direction of Migration confirmed
to members of the United States Department of State that the current
suspension on the issuance of exit permits continues: Now, therefore, be
it
</DELETED>Whereas according to UNICEF, over 4,000,000 orphans are estimated to
be living in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
Whereas cyclical and violent conflict has plagued the Democratic Republic of
Congo since the mid-1990s;
Whereas the United States has made significant financial investments in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, providing an estimated $274,000,000
bilateral aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo in fiscal year 2013
and an additional $165,000,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance;
Whereas the policy of the United States Government toward the Democratic
Republic of Congo is ``focused on helping the country become a nation
that . . . provides for the basic needs of its citizens'';
Whereas the United Nations, the Hague Conference on Private International Law,
and other international organizations have recognized that a child
should grow up in a family environment;
Whereas adoption, both domestic and international, is an important child
protection tool and an integral part of child welfare best practices
around the world, along with family reunification and prevention of
abandonment;
Whereas, on September 27, 2013, the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security,
General Directorate of Migration, informed the United States Embassy in
Kinshasa that effective September 25, 2013, they had suspended issuance
of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the
country with their adoptive parents;
Whereas there are United States families with finalized adoptions in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and the necessary legal paperwork and
visas ready to travel home with these children but are currently unable
to do so; and
Whereas, on December 19, 2013, the Congolese Minister of Justice, Minister of
Interior and Security, and the General Directorate of Migration
confirmed to members of the United States Department of State that the
current suspension on the issuance of exit permits continues: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, <DELETED>That the Senate--
<DELETED> (1) affirms that all children deserve a safe,
loving, and permanent family;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) recognizes the importance of ensuring that
international adoptions of all children are conducted in an
ethical and transparent manner;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) expresses concern over the impact on children
and families caused by the current suspension of exit permit
issuance within the Democratic Republic of Congo;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) respectfully requests that the Government of
the Democratic Republic of Congo--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) resume processing adoption cases and
issuing exit permits via the Ministry of Gender and
Family's Interministerial Adoption Committee and
Directorate of General Migration;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) prioritize the processing of
intercountry adoptions which were initiated before the
suspension; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) expedite the processing of those
adoptions which involve medically fragile children;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) encourages continued dialogue and cooperation
between the United States Department of State and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to improve the intercountry adoption process and ensure the
welfare of all children adopted from the Democratic Republic of
Congo.</DELETED>
That the Senate--
(1) affirms that all children deserve a safe, loving, and
permanent family;
(2) recognizes the importance of ensuring that
international adoptions of all children are conducted in an
ethical and transparent manner;
(3) expresses concern over the impact on children and
families caused by the current suspension of exit permit
issuance within the Democratic Republic of Congo;
(4) respectfully requests that the Government of the
Democratic Republic of Congo--
(A) resume processing adoption cases and issuing
exit permits via the Ministry of Gender and Family's
Interministerial Adoption Committee and General
Directorate of Migration;
(B) prioritize the processing of intercountry
adoptions which were initiated before the suspension;
and
(C) expedite the processing of those adoptions
which involve medically fragile children; and
(5) encourages continued dialogue and cooperation between
the United States Department of State and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve
the intercountry adoption process and ensure the welfare of all
children adopted from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Calendar No. 495
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 502
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Concerning the suspension of exit permit issuance by the Government of
the Democratic Republic of Congo for adopted Congolese children seeking
to depart the country with their adoptive parents.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 29, 2014
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble