[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 24252]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY

 Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I wish to recognize National 
Adoption Day which is this Saturday, November 20. National Adoption Day 
is a collaborative effort to raise awareness about the thousands of 
children in foster care waiting to be adopted. There are an estimated 
542,000 children in foster care in the United States, and over 126,000 
of them are waiting to be adopted.
  This day is meant to celebrate and honor all those loving parents who 
adopt children and to bring attention to the children in foster care 
waiting to be adopted. On Saturday, an unprecedented number of courts 
throughout the nation will finalize the adoption of thousands of 
children from foster care. For the last 4 years, local adoption 
agencies, courts, and advocacy organizations have come together on 
National Adoption Day to help children in need of a permanent home.
  The number of children in foster care has nearly doubled since 1987, 
and the average time a child remains in foster care is 3 years. Sadly, 
almost 20,000 children in foster care age out of the system each year 
without ever being placed with a permanent family. If only one out of 
every 500 Americans adopted, all foster children would be placed in 
homes.
  As a father of two adopted children, I know the love and joy that 
comes from adoption. I commend the National Adoption Day partners for 
their efforts and their dedication in working toward a day when all 
children will have a permanent, loving family to call their 
own.

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