[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 163 (Saturday, December 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESTORES SUPPORT FOR INTER-COUNTRY ADOPTION

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                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 16, 2005

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that yesterday our 
colleagues in the European Parliament voted unanimously in favor of an 
important measure urging the Romanian Government to settle the cases of 
applications for international adoption which have been in limbo since 
the Romanians imposed a moratorium in June 2001. The amendment was 
successfully offered to the European Parliament ``Report on the Extent 
of Romania's Readiness for Accession to the European Union.'' Final 
approval on the report was adopted by the Parliament on December 15.
  Amid credible allegations of corruption in the adoption system in 
Romania, the European Union had put intense pressure on Romania four 
years ago to impose a moratorium on international adoptions. In June 
2004, Romanian Law 273/2004 enacted a permanent ban on international 
adoptions and, in practice, the law was being applied retroactively to 
cases that were registered before the ban came into effect on January 
first of this year. There were approximately 1,500 cases pending in 
which the children had been matched with parents in Western Europe, and 
211 cases had been matched with adoptive parents in the United States.
  As a party to the Hague convention on Intercountry Adoption, Romania 
has agreed to certain international standards and Principles. In fact, 
intercountry adoption is a recognized as a legitimate option for 
children who have not found permanent placement in their country of 
origin. The amendment adopted by the European Parliament is consistent 
with this principle and urges settlement of the pending cases ``with 
the goal of allowing inter-country adoptions to take place, where 
justified and approptate, in those special cases.'' I applaud the 
European Parliament in offering this assurance Ithat they will not 
stand in the way of these adoptions.
  I am hopeful, Mr. Speaker, that this action by the European 
Parliament will embolden authorities in Romania to look again at the 
cases which have been pending. Given this reassurance that resolving 
the pipeline cases will not jeopardize their efforts toward accession, 
I would hope that the authorities would consider the cases only with 
the best interests of the children in mind. They have heard the 
European Parliament speak with one voice in favor of adoptions for 
these pipeline cases.
  Mr. Speaker, for these children who had already had a loving adoptive 
family identified, I encourage the Romanians to examine these cases 
with alacrity and transparency. Such a priority could mean this 
Christmas would be filled with renewed hope for hundreds of children 
and the prospects of a permanent home in the New Year.

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