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119th CONGRESS
1st Session |
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.
Mr. Aderholt (for himself, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Moylan, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Buchanan, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Norton, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Steube, Mr. Lawler, Mrs. Torres of California, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Mills, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Carson, Mr. Bell, Mr. Yakym, Ms. Letlow, Mr. Guest, Mr. Feenstra, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Bishop, Ms. Hageman, Ms. Craig, Mr. Figures, and Mr. Swalwell) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
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 328,947 children in the foster care system in the United States, approximately 49,994 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them;
Whereas many waiting children wait nearly 3 years in foster care before adoption;
Whereas, for many unparented children, the wait for a loving family in which the children are nurtured, comforted, and protected seems endless;
Whereas, in 2023, 15,590 children were at risk of aging out of foster care by reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home;
Whereas, everyday, 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 nearly a quarter of individuals in the United States have considered adoption, a majority of individuals in the United States have misperceptions about the process of adopting children from foster care and the children who are eligible for adoption;
Whereas family reunification, kinship care, and domestic and intercountry adoption promote greater permanency and stability for children;
Whereas the Children’s Bureau, an office of the Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services, supports programs, research, and monitoring to help eliminate barriers to adoption and find permanent families for children;
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 85,000 children have joined permanent families on National Adoption Day;
Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual proclamation to declare the month of November as National Adoption Month; and
Whereas the Saturday before Thanksgiving has traditionally been recognized as National Adoption Day, and in 2025, the Saturday before Thanksgiving is November 22: 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 throughout the year.