[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16911-16912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING HOLT INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S SERVICES DURING NATIONAL 
                             ADOPTION MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 12, 2013

  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, on July 27, 2013 we celebrated the 60th 
anniversary of the end of the Korean War. By signing the armistice 
agreement, the border between the Koreas near the 38th Parallel was 
established. It was in the wake of this armistice that Holt 
International Children's Services first began its compassionate work, 
and today continues to be a leader in the field of adoption and child 
welfare issues.
  Harry and Bertha Holt of Eugene, Oregon were from humble means--Harry 
a lumberjack and a farmer and Bertha a nurse. In 1954, the Holts went 
to a small high school auditorium to view a film about Amerasian 
children living in South Korean orphanages. Moved by the film, their 
faith and a firm belief that all children deserve permanent, loving 
homes, the Holts began their lifelong mission in 1955 to revolutionize 
intercountry adoption.
  At the time, there were no laws allowing children to immigrate from 
one country to another for the purpose of adoption. Overcoming legal 
and cultural barriers, Mr. and Mrs. Holt sought families for children 
orphaned by the Korean War. The Holts persuaded Oregon United States 
Senator Richard Neuberger to introduce legislation titled ``The Relief 
of Certain Korean War Orphans.'' The legislation became law on August 
11, 1955, enabling the Holts to adopt eight Korean War orphans: Joseph 
Han, Mary Chae, Helen Chan, Paul Kim, Betty Rhee, Robert Chae, 
Christine Lee and Nathanial Chae. With this act of love and the 
founding of their agency, Holt International Children's Services, two 
farmers from rural Oregon pioneered international adoption.
  Today, Holt International strives to uphold Harry and Bertha's vision 
to find loving homes for children regardless of race, religion, 
ethnicity or gender. Holt is committed to finding families for 
children, not children for families,

[[Page 16912]]

an important distinction that sets the tone and priorities for Holt. 
Since the 1955 act, Holt has placed 49,630 children from 31 countries 
with families in all fifty states. As the oldest intercountry adoption 
agency, Holt is the only organization that has more than three 
generations of adult adoptees.
  Holt continues to play an active and vital role in establishing 
policy and practice for intercountry adoption. In 1993, Holt adoptees 
Susan Cox and David Kim were members of the U.S. delegation to the 
Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, an agreement which sets 
international standards for intercountry adoption that protects the 
child, the birth family and the adoptive family. Later, in 2008, Holt 
was a leading advocate in ensuring the U.S. ratify the Hague treaty. 
Holt believes that adoption is a life long experience and has been at 
the forefront of developing post adoption services to ensure that 
adoptees grow and develop to their fullest potential.
  In addition to these monumental accomplishments, Holt International 
has become much more than an adoption agency. When considering a 
child's future, Holt always keeps the child's best interest at the 
forefront of every decision. For some children adoption is the only 
option, but Holt realizes that it is not the first option for children 
without families. Holt believes that it is best if children can stay 
with their birth family. Over the years, Holt has worked to develop and 
maintain programs overseas to give orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable 
children safe and nurturing environments in which to grow and thrive. 
These overseas programs include initiatives directed at Family 
Preservation, Nutrition Support, Child and Maternal Health, Income 
Generation, Assisting Children with Special Needs, and Shaping and 
Establishing Intercountry Child Welfare Systems. Through these 
initiatives, Holt impacts approximately thirty thousand children each 
year and helps to ensure that children at all stages of need are 
provided for in an effort to avoid the separation of families.
  In November, as we celebrate National Adoption Month, it is 
appropriate to recognize Holt International Children's Services for its 
diligent efforts and accomplishments in the field of child-welfare and 
intercountry adoption that have impacted thousands of children in the 
United States and around the world.

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