[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 3, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E123]]



                   SUPPORT THE HOPE FOR CHILDREN ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM BLILEY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 3, 1999

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, recently I received a letter from one of my 
constituents, Mr. Scott Thompson of Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Thompson 
and his wife are in the process of adopting a child and I was struck by 
what he was willing to go through to give a child a loving home.
  Mr. Thompson writes:

       To give some background, my wife and I have been going 
     through the adoption process for about two years. During that 
     time we have pursued many different paths and options, all 
     unsuccessful, so far. As it stands now we are abut six months 
     from getting our child, hopefully. We have invested to date, 
     roughly $6,000. We will surely invest another $10,000 before 
     it is all over . . . It is, however, very sad that two people 
     who wish to provide a loving and stable home to a child must 
     endure . . . outrageous costs as well. In our case we will 
     have to obtain a second mortgage on our home and us all of 
     our savings to make this a reality. These payments will make 
     it more difficult for us to give all that we want to our 
     child. Passage of this bill will cost the Federal Government 
     so little in the grant scheme of things. It will, however, 
     provide much needed help to the searching families and the 
     waiting children.

  Mr. Speaker, as Mr. Thompson's letter indicates, the cost of adopting 
a child continues to go up. Many parents who want to give a child a 
loving home cannot because of the huge expense of doing so. Adopting a 
child can cost a family thousands of dollars; more than most families 
can handle. Today, I reintroduce the Hope for Children Act to help ease 
the financial burden on those who want to give a child a loving home.
  The Hope for Children Act would increase the adopting tax credit for 
each adoption to $10,000 and make the process more affordable for 
middle-class families. Present law only provides a $5,000 tax credit 
per adoption and a $6,000 tax credit for the adoption of special needs 
children. The current tax credit is far below the actual cost of 
adopting a child. Furthermore, the Hope for Children Act would index 
the credit for inflation and increase the earnings limit, expanding 
eligibility for the tax credit. The Hope for Children Act would also 
make the adoption tax credit permanent law, repealing the sunset, and 
exempt the beneficiaries of the credit from the Alternative Minimum 
Tax. This will ensure that parents receive the full benefit of this 
credit.
  Mr. Speaker, my wife and I are adoptive parents. The Hope for 
Children Act will allow more families and children to experience the 
happiness my family has enjoyed. Most important, more children will 
have someone to call `Mom and Dad' if the Hope for Children Act becomes 
law. With the average adoption costing between $8,000-$25,000, we need 
to do more to promote adoption. The Hope for Children Act will make it 
possible for more children without homes to join loving families. The 
Hope for Children Act can make dreams come true for many people.
  Today, thousands of children are without permanent families--it is 
time we all work together to fix this problem. We owe it to those 
children to put aside political differences and pass pro-adoption 
legislation this year.

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