[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 55 (Thursday, May 1, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E812]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ADOPTION PROMOTION ACT OF 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. LOUIS STOKES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 1997

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 867) to 
     promote the adoption of children in foster care:

  Mr. STOKES. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Adoption 
Promotion and Stability Act of 1997. I commend my colleague, 
Congressman Camp, for bringing the important issue of adoption to the 
floor.
  H.R. 867 would require officials to actively pursue adoptions for 
children who have languished in foster care for 18 months or more. In 
addition, this legislation would continue to require States to make 
``reasonable efforts'' to keep families together unless returning a 
child to his or her family would involve ``aggravated circumstances.'' 
These circumstances would include cases of chronic abuse, torture, or 
abandonment.
  At the end of 1994, there were an estimated 462,000 children in 
family foster care, kinship care, or residential care--up 65 percent 
from only a decade ago. According to the Child Welfare League of 
America, half of all children who await adoption are minority children; 
these children typically wait longer for adoptive homes. In Cuyahoga 
County, of the over 3,000 children in the foster care system, nearly 65 
percent are African-American. By actively pursuing adoptions for 
children who have remained in foster care for more than 18 months, H.R. 
867 shares my belief that all children, regardless of age, sex, 
ethnicity, and physical and emotional health are entitled to a family.
  Mr. Chairman, H.R. 867 would also require the Department of Health 
and Human Services to convene an advisory panel to report to Congress 
on the issue of kinship care. Currently, there are more than 3 million 
grandparents raising their grandchildren. According to census figures, 
in 1990, three times as many grandparents were raising their 
grandchildren than in 1980--just 10 years prior. In addition, many 
other relatives including aunts, uncles, and older siblings are left to 
care for children who are not able or not willing to raise their 
children. This is an important step in helping to address the rapidly 
growing issue of kinship care.
  Mr. Chairman, the promotion of adoption is one of the most important 
things we can do to strengthen American families. Adoption enables 
children, whose parents cannot or will not raise them, to become part 
of a permanent family. Furthermore, it serves as a second chance for 
the thousands of children who have been removed from their families 
because of abuse or neglect.
  H.R. 867 represents a positive approach in finding homes for our 
Nation's needy children. I support this effort to facilitate the 
adoption of children, and to decrease the time that many of our 
children languish in the foster care system. Mr. Chairman, I join with 
my colleagues in support of this legislation.

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