[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 187 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, probably a lot of my colleagues know I 
have had a quarter-century interest in legislation dealing with foster 
care and the foster care system. This is National Adoption Month, and 
while recent data from the Department of Health and Human Services show 
improvements for kids in foster care, it is clear that there is still 
work to be done.
  In 2018, the average length of stay in foster care increased to over 
19 months. We need to take that statistic as movement in the wrong 
direction. Less than half of the kids who exited foster care were 
reunited with their parents. Our goal ought to be to reunite them with 
their parents when it isn't harmful to the kids, but what I have also 
learned over the last 25 years from talking to kids who are in foster 
care, being shunted from home to home, school to school in the same 
school year--I have heard from them, ``I would like to have a mom and 
dad,'' and ``I would like to have a permanent home.''
  I have taken that to heart, and legislation that I have worked on 
helps with that issue. All children deserve a permanent home, and they 
deserve caring, consistent adults to nurture and guide them. As long as 
I serve in Congress, I will continue to work toward that goal.
  Also, during this month of November, National Adoption Month, I hope 
people will take a special concern about kids who are in foster care.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________