[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 203 (Wednesday, December 2, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 787--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE GOALS OF NATIONAL 
    ADOPTION MONTH AND NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY BY PROMOTING NATIONAL 
     AWARENESS OF ADOPTION AND THE CHILDREN WAITING FOR ADOPTION, 
CELEBRATING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INVOLVED IN ADOPTION, AND ENCOURAGING 
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES TO SECURE SAFETY, PERMANENCY, AND WELL-
                         BEING FOR ALL CHILDREN

  Mr. BLUNT (for himself, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Lankford, 
Mr. Cramer, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Loeffler, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. 
Cotton, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Moran, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Braun, Mr. Lee, Mr. 
Wicker, Mr. Risch, Mr. Romney, Mr. Thune, Mr. Hawley, Mr. Scott of 
South Carolina, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Daines, Mr. Young, 
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Rounds, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. 
Brown, Mr. Casey, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Hassan, Mr. King, 
Mr. Manchin, Mr. Peters, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Smith, Mr. Van 
Hollen, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 787

       Whereas there are far too many unparented children in the 
     United States;
       Whereas the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting 
     System Report on fiscal year 2019 foster care and adoption 
     population characteristics indicates that, in the United 
     States--
       (1) there are approximately 424,000 children in the foster 
     care system, approximately 122,200 of whom are waiting for 
     adoption;
       (2) 65 percent of the children in foster care are 10 years 
     of age or younger;
       (3) the average length of time a child spends in foster 
     care is approximately 20 months;
       (4) during fiscal year 2019, approximately 20,400 youth 
     ``aged out'' of foster care by reaching adulthood without 
     being placed in a permanent home; and
       (5) during fiscal year 2019, the number of children who--
          (A) achieved permanency through adoption increased for 
     the fifth year in a row; and
          (B) entered foster care decreased for the third year in 
     a row;
       Whereas, still, for many foster children, the wait for a 
     loving family in which they are nurtured, comforted, and 
     protected seems endless;
       Whereas a survey conducted in 2019 showed that--
       (1) 21 percent of respondents had considered or were 
     considering adoption;
       (2) about \1/2\ of respondents viewed adoption through the 
     foster care system favorably; and
       (3) of the respondents who had not considered adoption--
          (A) 20 percent believed that they could not afford 
     adoption; and
          (B) 18 percent believed that they would be unprepared 
     for the emotional or health needs of an adopted child;
       Whereas the Children's Bureau, an office of the 
     Administration for Children and Families within the 
     Department of Health and Human Services, supports programs, 
     research, and monitoring to help eliminate barriers to 
     adoption and find permanent families for children;
       Whereas, every day, loving and nurturing families are 
     strengthened and expanded when committed and dedicated 
     individuals make an important difference in the life of a 
     child through adoption;
       Whereas the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic 
     has presented unprecedented challenges to the United States, 
     the foster care system, prospective adoptive parents, and the 
     children awaiting permanency;
       Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual 
     proclamation to declare the month of November as National 
     Adoption Month, and the President has proclaimed November 
     2020 as National Adoption Month;
       Whereas National Adoption Day has been celebrated as a 
     collective national effort to find permanent and loving 
     families for children in the foster care system; and
       Whereas the Saturday before Thanksgiving has been 
     recognized as National Adoption Day since at least 2000, and, 
     in 2020, the Saturday before Thanksgiving is November 21: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Adoption 
     Month and National Adoption Day;
       (2) recognizes that every child should have a permanent and 
     loving family; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to consider 
     adoption during the month of November and throughout the 
     year.

                          ____________________