[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 149 (Thursday, October 15, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCING THE EVERY CHILD DESERVES A FAMILY ACT

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                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 15, 2009

  Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that 
will open up thousands of good homes to foster children. On any given 
day, there are approximately 500,000 children in the child welfare 
system. Over 125,000 of these abused and neglected children are waiting 
to be adopted. There is an acute shortage, however, of adoptive and 
foster parents. The result is that many children, particularly minority 
and special needs children, languish in foster care without permanent 
homes. The severe developmental, emotional, and educational costs to 
children raised in foster care are well documented. The 25,000 youth 
who never find a permanent family and ``age out'' of the system each 
year are more likely than nearly any other group to become homeless, 
incarcerated, or suffer with mental illness or substance abuse.
  Despite the shortage of adoptive and foster parents and the terrible 
consequences of long stays in the child welfare system, some states 
have enacted discriminatory bans prohibiting children from being placed 
with qualified parents due to the parent's marital status or sexual 
orientation. Currently, over 65,000 adopted children and 14,000 foster 
children are living with a gay or lesbian parent. Studies suggest that 
upward of 2 million gay and lesbian individuals are interested in 
adopting or fostering a child. Yet, statewide discriminatory bans and 
the practices of individual adoption agencies have resulted in fewer 
children being placed in safe and permanent homes.
  Congress invests over $8 billion in the child welfare system each 
year and we should not accept policies that use Federal funds to enact 
barriers to adoption and close the door to thousands of potential 
homes. Multiple studies have found that adopted and foster children 
raised by gay and lesbian parents fare just as well as their peers 
being raised by heterosexual parents.
  When considering a potential placement for a child, the only criteria 
should be what is in the child's best interest and whether the 
prospective parents can provide a safe and nurturing home. Bigotry 
should play no part in this decision. That is why I am introducing the 
``Every Child Deserves a Family Act.'' This legislation would simply 
prohibit any entity that receives Federal child welfare funds from 
denying or delaying adoption or foster care placements based solely on 
the prospective parent's marital status or sexual orientation. States 
and child welfare agencies that fail to end discriminatory practices 
would face financial penalties. This is the same approach that put an 
end to race discrimination in adoption and foster care placements.
  Abused and neglected children in our child welfare system are some of 
the most vulnerable members of our society. We cannot allow divisive 
politics to further harm these children by shrinking the number of 
prospective adoptive and foster parents. I urge all of my colleagues to 
join me in saying yes to children and no to bigotry by cosponsoring the 
``Every Child Deserves a Family Act'' and working with me to make it 
law.

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