[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 530 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 530

   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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 17, 2015

  Mr. Franks of Arizona (for himself, Ms. Bass, Ms. Lee, Mr. Danny K. 
   Davis of Illinois, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. Huizenga of 
 Michigan, Mr. Huelskamp, Mr. Emmer of Minnesota, Mr. Luetkemeyer, Mr. 
    Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Sires, Mr. Whitfield, Mrs. 
  Walorski, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Russell, Mrs. 
  Lawrence, Mr. Blum, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Ms. Hahn, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. 
   Langevin, Mr. Norcross, Mrs. Hartzler, and Mr. Roe of Tennessee) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                     on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 
        415,129 children in the foster care system in the United States, 
        approximately 108,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them;
Whereas 62 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 2014, over 22,000 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 people in the United States have considered adoption, a 
        majority of people in the United States have misperceptions about the 
        process of adopting children from foster care and the children who are 
        eligible for adoption;
Whereas 50 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 who have entered the foster care system 
        were victims of neglect, abandonment, or abuse;
Whereas 39 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 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 54,500 
        children have joined forever families during ``National Adoption Day'';
Whereas in 2014, at least 400 events were held in the United States, finalizing 
        the adoptions of approximately 4,500 children from foster care; 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 21, 2015: 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 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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