[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2785-S2786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I make note tonight of a very 
significant event which occurred today in the Capitol. We were able to 
pass legislation

[[Page S2786]]

from the Foreign Relations Committee, under the leadership of the 
chairman of that committee, Chairman Jesse Helms, The Hague Convention 
on International Adoption.
  The reason I mention it particularly tonight is that we will be 
taking up this implementation legislation when we return--hopefully, 
soon after we return. Then we will be considering a very important 
treaty under the same title.
  There are many hundreds of leaders in Washington today from the Joint 
Council on International Children's Services and with the National 
Council for Adoption who have worked literally for years to bring us to 
this point.
  I also commend our partners in the House, Congressman Delahunt from 
Massachusetts, Congressman Burr, and Congressman Gejdenson from 
Connecticut who worked very hard on this who were terrific leaders.
  Sixty-six countries participated in this ground-breaking document. 
There were 37 signatories, and to date 29 countries have ratified. I 
particularly mention Mexico and Romania as two of the earliest 
countries.
  Since the United States receives more children in this country 
through adoption than all other countries combined, and since we pride 
ourselves on being a leader in this particular area, I think it is very 
significant that we step forward, pass this legislation, and ratify 
this treaty.
  In closing, let me say it is so significant because many Senators 
from both sides of the aisle have worked for so many years to promote 
adoption in a very positive way to say basically that every child 
deserves a home. If their biological family is split apart or broken up 
by death, or disease, or tragedy, neglect, or abuse, it is our 
responsibility as a society to make sure those children are cared for 
permanently by someone who is capable of nurturing and loving.

  The significance of this treaty is that now we express, in an 
international way, that that child should then go to their family and 
then to the community at large, but if no place can be found, surely 
there is a home somewhere on this planet for these children. There are 
many orphans and there are many children in limbo caught within systems 
in the United States and elsewhere.
  I thank my colleagues and I thank Senator Helms for his great 
leadership. I look forward to taking up this issue when we return 
because there was great committee work done and a lot of work for many 
years was put into this. I am convinced that millions of children now 
all over the world will be able to find a home and families will be 
able to find children once this legislation is implemented and carried 
out.
  I thank the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas is recognized.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Thank you very much. I thank my colleague from West 
Virginia for allowing me to speak for a few minutes.

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