[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 36 (Monday, February 27, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E451-E452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 INTRODUCTION OF THE OMNIBUS ADOPTION ACT OF 1995 AND THE HEALTH CARE 
                 AND HOUSING FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN ACT

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                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 27, 1995
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Today, I reintroduced two important bills 
which will have a direct and substantial impact on women, children, and 
families nationwide. These bills--the Omnibus Adoption Act of 1995 and 
the Health Care and Housing for Women and Children Act--both promote 
the joining of needy children and caring families through the loving 
option of adoption.
  There is no doubt that there are children patiently and hopefully 
awaiting adoption. Over the past decade, between 50,000-60,000 children 
found adoptive homes each year. This figure is down from 89,000 in 
1970; but that is not indicative of fewer needy children. In fact, over 
this same time period, the number of children in foster care increased 
to more than 407,000 and the number of children born out-of-wedlock 
increased three-fold to 1,165,000.
  The National Council for Adoption [NCFA] estimates that between one 
and two million individuals and couples want to adopt. But there are 
obstacles in their way. Some of these obstacles are financial; some are 
merely education; some are cultural. The Omnibus Adoption Act of 1995 
takes aim at these hurdles with the intention of leveling them.
  Furthermore, evidence suggests that the benefits of adoption to 
birthmothers are overwhelmingly positive. In fact, some research 
indicates that those women who do choose to make an adoption plan for 
their children will be less likely to live in poverty, more likely to 
complete high school, and less likely to have additional unplanned 
pregnancies. We must provide Federal support to these pregnant women 
and all pregnant women who lack the means to pay for prenatal and 
maternal health care.
  The centerpiece of the Omnibus Adoption Act is the means tested $5000 
tax credit. According to the NCFA, the average cost of an adoption is 
$14,000 and it is not uncommon for this figure to reach upwards of 
$25,000. Often this includes prenatal care for the birthmother and 
child, counseling for the adoptive family, and legal fees. For a 
middle-income family already on a tight budget, this one-time up-front 
cost can be prohibitive.
  The targeted tax credit would be available in full to families 
earning less than $60,000 and in part to families earning between 
$60,000 and $100,000. In this way, it is able to give
 as much help as possible to the families which need it the most. And 
while this tax credit has a limitless reward, it has a very modest 
cost. The Republican staff of the Budget Committee estimated last year 
that the adoption tax credit would cost $900 million over 5 years.

  You may recognize this provision from the Republican Contract with 
America as well. I am pleased that this aspect of my bill has been 
included in the Contract's Family Reinforcement Act [H.R. 11].
  Other provisions of the Omnibus Adoption Act are equally valuable and 
popular. For instance, the bill establishes a national advisory council 
on adoption to monitor the progress of the various adoption related 
programs which exist and which the bill institutes. The bill also 
establishes a national adoption data collection system. These two 
provisions will work hand-in-hand to further advance adoption options. 
As does a section stating the sense of Congress that every State 
implement and enforce uniform adoption laws ranging from detailed home 
studies for prospective adoptive families to health benefits for 
birthmothers and adopted children.
  The Omnibus Adoption Act establishes a program of graduate study 
fellowships to encourage our best young minds to research and develop 
innovation in adoption programs. Additionally, the bill organizes a 
grant program within the Department of Education offering 
[[Page E452]]  grant funding to States which implement adoption 
education programs. The Boston Globe, in a editorial highly supportive 
of this bill in general and the tax credit provision in particular, 
noted that this was an idea that deserves close study.
  Another provision in the Omnibus Adoption Act which the Globe thought 
worthy of closer study clarifies Federal and military employee adoption 
benefits. This would allow these families to use sick leave for 
adoption purposes. They would also be eligible for reimbursement 
through Federal health benefit plans for the prenatal and maternity 
care of the birthmother in their adoption plan. The bill specifically 
prohibits surrogate parenting arrangements with regard to this 
provision.
  The final two provisions of the Omnibus Adoption Act are so critical 
to the promotion of adoption and the health of birthmothers and their 
children that I have introduced them as a separate bill as well--the 
Health Care and Housing for Women and Children Act. These provisions 
establish material health certificates and grants for rehabilitation of 
housing for use as maternity homes. Maternal health certificates could 
be used by low-income pregnant women who seek assistance in carrying 
their child to term at maternity homes. Here they could get housing, 
medical care, educational and vocational training, adoption counseling, 
and other supportive services. To ensure that maternity homes are 
available to these women, a grant program would be established to give 
non-profit organizations aid in rehabilitating old housing for use as 
maternity homes.
  The American Enterprise in its January/February 1995 noted the 
central role which maternity homes once played in helping young, low-
income women to carry their pregnancies to term and how that role has 
unfortunately diminished. Writer George Liebmann observed that:

       Current American welfare policy is plagued by an ideology 
     of cash entitlement. What the poor really need today is not a 
     check but a powerful set of rehabilitative social services. 
     These should be offered by private community groups, without 
     any illusion of moral neutrality. Rescuing an underclass is 
     by definition a highly moralistic undertaking.

  This is the historical mission of the maternity home. They provide 
therapy and support through the grouping of several young women in 
similar circumstances under one roof. They provide rehabilitation 
through education, vocational training, health care, and counseling. 
Furthermore, they offer discipline and supervision to women who have 
often lived on streets and in neighborhoods devoid of such backbone. 
This is crucial to the health and welfare of both mother and child. And 
it can all be provided by community groups with a commitment to care.
  Over the past two sessions in which I have introduced these bills, 
they have enjoyed broad bipartisan support from more than one hundred 
Members. I encourage my colleagues to respond to the needs of homeless 
children and the families who long to help them by cosponsoring both 
the Omnibus Adoption Act and the Health Care and Housing for Women and 
Children Act.


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