[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 100 (Thursday, July 15, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1565]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1565]]


                  ``THE OMNIBUS ADOPTION ACT OF 1999''

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 15, 1999

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Omnibus Adoption Act of 1999. I am pleased that my friend and 
colleague, Congressman Jim Oberstar, is joining me in introducing this 
key piece of legislation, which seeks to promote and raise awareness 
about adoption.
  As someone who has been a passionate advocate for helping families 
and children through adoption, I urge all of my colleagues to support 
this important proposal, because adoption is truly a loving option for 
women and families who find themselves in less than optimal 
circumstances.
  The existing evidence shows that adoption generates overwhelmingly 
positive benefits to all persons involved in the process--including the 
birth mother. In fact, some research indicates that those women who 
choose to make a adoption plan for their child are less likely to live 
in poverty, more likely to complete high school, and less likely to 
have additional unplanned pregnancies.
  Adoption also provides a child who might otherwise face a bleak or 
difficult childhood the prospect of having loving parents, a stable 
home, a higher standard of living and enhanced career opportunities as 
the child matures into adulthood. Adoption also provides adoptive 
parents who desperately want to raise children and form a family the 
opportunity to fulfill that dream. It is estimated that about 1 million 
children in the United States live with adoptive parents, and that 
between 2% to 4% of American families include an adopted child.
  The statistics about adoption reveal a downward trend away from this 
life-affirming choice made by women who face an unplanned or difficult 
pregnancy. For instance, the estimated number of annual adoptions by 
couples who are not related to the birth mother has been as high as 
89,200 in 1970 to an estimated 60,000 in 1998. The number of children 
placed with relatives, known as kinship care, is estimated at 200,000 
clearly, the benefits of adoption as they pertain to non-familial 
placement are for being clearly articulated to women in American today.
  We can and should do more to help women with difficult pregnancies as 
they seek life-affirming alternatives.
  The Omnibus Adoption Act takes a three pronged approach to this 
important issue. First, it assists the birth mother who chooses to make 
an adoption placement for her child by providing her with the resources 
that she will need during and after her pregnancy. The bill authorizes 
new vouchers that can used for maternity homes, nutrition counseling 
and job training. Secondly, the bill assists the adoptive parents with 
the financial costs that come with an adoption by raising the current 
$5,000 tax credit for adoption expenses to $10,000. And, finally, it 
enhances the ability of non-profit organizations, such as maternity 
homes, who work with both birth mothers and adoptive parents by 
providing services to the birth mothers, including room and board and 
medical care, as well as advising and facilitating adoptions in many 
cases.
  The Omnibus Adoption Act contains the following 12 titles:
  Title I: Expansion of Adoption Tax Credit from Current Level of 
$5,000 to $10,000.
  Title II: Family Leave Equity for Adoptive/Foster Families--Provides 
leave benefits to employees who need leave for the care of a newly 
placed son or daughter through foster care or adoption.
  Title III: Adoption Counseling for Public Health Grant Recipients: 
Requires adoption counseling training for staff in certain federally-
funded clinics including Title X recipients and Section 330 health 
centers. Requires certain federally-funded health clinics to provide 
non-directive counseling and referrals regarding prenatal care and 
delivery, infant care, foster care, and adoption.
  Title IV: Adoption Information for Members of the U.S. Armed Forces: 
Requires that the Department of Defense and its service branches, as 
well as the Coast Guard, make available to military couples information 
about adoption as well as information to unmarried female members of 
the military about adoption placement for their child if they are 
pregnant.
  Title V: Federal Prisons: Requires the Attorney General to make 
available information on adoption options available to pregnant female 
prisoners.
  Title VI: Adoption Counseling Accreditation: Requires states to 
accredit individuals or organizations who provide adoption services, as 
well as requiring states to establish standards for such adoption 
providers.
  Title VII: Adoption and Foster Care Data Collection: Within 6 months 
of enactment, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit a 
report to Congress which would provide information on adoption and 
foster placement in the United States as contained in the Advisory 
Committee's Report to the Secretary put forth in 1987. States would be 
required to transmit data on adoption and foster care to the Secretary 
on a quarterly basis for future reporting.

  Title VIII: Refundable Tax Credit for Medical Expenses Associated 
With Pregnancy: Would provide a $5,000 tax credit for the medical 
expenses of pregnant women who give their child up for adoption.
  Title IX: Maternal Health Certificate Program: Pregnant women would 
be eligible for this program which could be used for maternity and 
housing services including room and board, medical care, counseling 
services, nutrition services and counseling, child and family 
development counseling, adoption counseling, vocational and educational 
counseling, and transportation services.
  Title X: Rehabilitation Grants for Maternity Housing and Services 
Facilities: Requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to 
establish a grant program for non-profit entities to rehabilitate 
structures for use as maternity housing and services facilities. These 
facilities could provide a variety of services including room and 
board, medical care, counseling (nutrition, health, prenatal, family, 
adoption, vocational/educational), and transportation.
  Title XI: Repeal of the National Clearinghouse on Adoption 
Information.
  Title XII: National Commission on Adoption: Establishes a commission 
to review all adoption programs, all activities pertaining to adoption 
in the United States including a focus upon how adoption is presented 
as an option to unmarried pregnant women and the extent to which 
prospective adoptive parents are made aware of children waiting to be 
adopted. Nine appointees (2-Speaker, 1-House Minority Leader, 2-Senate 
Majority Leader, 1-Senate Minority Leader, 3-President). Commission 
will report back to Congress within 3 years and will subsequently 
disband.
  Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, The Omnibus Adoption Act brings to the 
table a solid package of provisions which would benefit children, their 
prospective parents, and their birth mothers. Any adoption legislation 
that Congress enacts must ensure that each of these groups is 
represented because they are all part of the adoption equation.

                          ____________________