[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 85 (Thursday, May 22, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4781-S4782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     AMERICA'S FOSTER CARE CHILDREN

  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today, during National 
Foster Care Month, to speak for the more than a half million children 
living in foster care across the United States who are waiting for a 
loving family to adopt them.
  I encourage potential parents throughout our country to open their 
hearts, their lives and their homes to these vulnerable children and 
provide them with the safe, permanent families that all children 
deserve. As an adoptive parent myself, I know first-hand the joy and 
fulfillment adoption can bring to a family, and I cannot think of a 
more perfect gift to give a child than the love, nurturing, and 
protection they need to grow.
  A sense of stability is critical to the development of children. Yet, 
young children in foster care never know how long they will stay in one 
place or where they will be sent off to next, resulting in a 
frightening lack of consistency and security.
  I recently had the chance to meet with Aaron Weaver, a young man from 
Nebraska, who shared with me some of his experiences in the foster care 
system: ``Growing up in foster care, a tattered yellow vinyl suitcase 
always accompanied me, as I switched families, rules and routines,'' he 
said.

       I hated that suitcase. It was a constant reminder of how 
     unstable my life was, and how every day was uncertain.

  Fortunately, after 6 years in Nebraska's foster care system, Aaron 
was finally adopted. Adoption for him meant a family who gave him 
unconditional love. Adoption meant the end of packing his suitcase, 
wondering where he would be placed next. Adoption gave him, for the 
first time, the freedom and confidence to think about his future not in 
terms of where he would be sleeping next month, but in terms of what 
his goals were and where he wanted to go in life.
  In 2005, just 10 percent of Nebraska's foster care children were 
lucky enough to be adopted into new families like Aaron's, leaving 
nearly a thousand more waiting eagerly for adoptive homes. 
Unfortunately, any chance of these children being placed with adoptive 
parents becomes worse the longer they remain in foster care. In fact, 
when a child reaches the 8- to 9-year age range, the probability that 
child will continue to wait in foster care exceeds the probability that 
he or she will be adopted; and the number of children in this older age 
group is growing.
  The Adoption Incentive Program, a Federal program first enacted into 
law as part of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, is up for 
reauthorization this year. This important program encourages State 
governments to find permanent homes for foster children through 
adoption by rewarding those States which have increased their number of 
placements. Additionally, the program provides special incentives to 
focus on finding homes for older foster children and those with special 
needs. I am proud to report that, through this program, my home State 
of Nebraska was awarded $1,392,000 between 2000 and 2006 for finding 
adoptive families for 2,483 children, money which will be reinvested to 
make this number even greater.
  I believe we have a responsibility to help foster children in 
Nebraska and across the Nation join loving, permanent adoptive families 
such as Aaron's. I hope all of you agree and will join me in my 
commitment to improving America's foster care system.
  Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize May as National 
Foster Care Month. I salute the thousands of families in Kentucky and 
throughout the country who serve as foster parents, along with those 
who expand their families by adopting a child from the foster care 
system. Unfortunately, not every child finds a home. In 2005, more than 
24,000 foster children reached their 18th birthdays without being 
adopted. As these young adults aged out of the foster care program, 
they faced many of life's challenges without the family support and 
encouragement that many of us take for granted. With over a half 
million children currently in our Nation's foster care system, it is 
imperative that we do all that we can to ensure that they

[[Page S4782]]

are able to join the families they so desperately need and deserve.
  From my home State of Kentucky, Chris Brown is a testament to the 
importance of adoption. Chris entered foster care at the age of 11, 
after the death of his mother. He spent more than 2 years in foster 
care before being adopted. At the age of 13, Chris was adopted by his 
Big Brothers, Big Sisters mentor, Dave Brown. Chris thrived in his 
adoptive home, and was presented with opportunities he would not have 
had otherwise. Through the support of his adopted family, he was able 
to attend Northern Kentucky University, where he majored in psychology. 
Now married and with a family of his own, Chris has dedicated his 
career to social work, using his talents and skills to give back to the 
community. Chris's story demonstrates how an investment in just one 
child can pay off for an entire community.
  The care provided by foster homes and foster families is of great 
value. Raising awareness about the number of foster children in 
America, and making it easier for families to adopt is crucial to 
guaranteeing that America's foster children have the resources and 
support they need to succeed. Chris Brown is an excellent example of 
how a child can thrive and develop in a loving family. National Foster 
Care Month reminds us of our obligation to America's youth. I commend 
all those who love and accept into their homes those children needing a 
home.
  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise in observance of National Foster 
Care Month. Throughout our Nation, so many families provide loving and 
caring homes for children who have suffered from abuse and neglect. 
This month is an important reminder to thank the families who welcome 
these children into their homes, as well as the State and local 
officials, social workers, health care workers, and others in our 
communities who look for signs of abuse and take action to ensure it 
stops.
  Social workers, in particular, have numerous demands placed on them 
in their efforts to ensure appropriate care of abused and neglected 
children, those with disabilities and our vulnerable elderly. To help 
these workers in their important jobs, I recently introduced the 
Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young Jr. Social Reinvestment Act with 
Senator Mikulski. I look forward to swift passage of this bill so that 
we can better support our Nation's social workers.
  I also want to thank those who help parents who may have a substance 
abuse problem or who suffer from mental illness. These important 
professionals help so many parents to overcome their illnesses, which 
can be a barrier in providing safe and stable homes for their children.
  Our justice systems, including our judges, attorneys and local law 
enforcement, who work every day to ensure the safety of our children, 
also deserve our recognition this month. So many of them take the extra 
time in their overburdened caseloads to ensure they are doing the right 
thing for the future of each abused and neglected child. In fact, in my 
home State of Oregon, Judge Pamela Abernethy runs a program in her 
courtroom that engages mental health professionals, law enforcement 
officials, child development specialists and others in a team approach 
that has produced great outcomes for children and their parents. Her 
work helps to stop the cycle of abuse that we see too often in 
families. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Harkin to 
pass our bill, the Safe Babies Act, which will work to replicate 
successful programs like Judge Abernethy's across the Nation.
  However, we know that often children may not be able to return to 
their birth families. In America we are lucky that many families, 
including my own, have a great love in their heart for children and are 
looking to adopt.
  Oregonians Tim and Sari Gale, for example, originally were very 
interested in adopting an infant. However, as they continued to look 
into adoption, they could not get the images out of their minds of the 
older children they saw in the brochures. ``We started to ask ourselves 
why we would adopt an infant, when so many children were in need of 
parents,'' said Shari. ``It started making more and more sense for us 
to adopt an older child.''
  Soon, Andrew became a member of the family. ``It has been heart-
warming and amazing to watch the gradual process whereby this 
frightened little boy learned to love and to trust,'' observed a family 
friend. ``Andrew has blossomed under the Gales' loving care.'' Watching 
Andrew interact with peers at high school events or serving as a 
counselor for other children at summer riding camp, one would never 
guess this likeable and polite young man had spent his early years as 
an abused and neglected child. The Gales truly are a testament to the 
healing power of a loving family.
  The Federal Adoption Incentive Program, which was first enacted in 
1997 as part of the Adoption and Safe Families Act, encourages States 
to find foster children permanent homes through adoption. The Adoption 
Incentive Program is due to expire on September 30. Congress must 
reauthorize this act so that it can continue to serve as a vitally 
important incentive to States for finalizing adoptions for children in 
foster care, with an emphasis on finding adoptive homes for special-
needs children and foster children over age 9. I am proud of Oregon's 
success in finalizing more than 12,700 adoptions of children from 
foster care between 2000 and 2006. This has resulted in Oregon 
receiving $3.1 million in Federal adoption incentive payments, which 
are invested back into the child welfare program.
  In 2005, roughly 2,065 children from Oregon's foster care system were 
adopted--but nearly 3,500 foster children in Oregon were still waiting 
for adoptive families, and they waited an average of about 2\1/2\ years 
to join a new family. These vulnerable children have waited long 
enough.
  Again, it is important that we thank foster care and adoptive 
families in our Nation, as well as frontline workers who protect our 
children, for the wonderful work that they do and love that they share.

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