[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 192 (Wednesday, December 5, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REMEMBERING REBECCA ``BECKY'' WEICHHAND

 Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, today, along with Senator Roy 
Blunt of Missouri, I wish to honor Rebecca ``Becky'' Weichhand, a 
fierce and tireless advocate for adoption.
  From an early age, Becky knew she wanted to be a lawyer to help 
children, and for almost 10 years, she pursued that dream as the, 
director of policy and later as the executive director of the 
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, CCAI. As Senate co-
chairs of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, we had the privilege 
of working with Becky and witnessed firsthand how her work changed the 
lives of children around the world. Becky was a mentor to foster youth 
and advised 10 classes of foster youth interns on Capitol Hill, who 
helped to research and develop policy proposals informed by their own 
experience to help our Nation's foster children. She also led efforts 
to help Members of Congress promote adoption and foster care around the 
world, organizing nine domestic and international delegation trips. In 
addition, Becky spearheaded the Angels in Adoption Program, which 
honors organizations and people who have had an extraordinary impact on 
children, their families, and communities across the country. During 
her tenure, 1,257 people and organizations were recognized with this 
honor.
  Becky dedicated her career to the belief that every child deserves a 
loving and stable home. She was instrumental in efforts to preserve the 
adoption tax credit, including working to establish a coalition of more 
than 150 organizations and advocating to make the adoption tax credit 
permanent in 2012.
  Becky's faith, compassion, and kindness were evident in everything 
she did, and she will be dearly missed. Her life was a blessing to 
many, and we will honor it by continuing her work of bringing loving 
families together with children in need.

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