[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18597]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MARY CRAWFORD

 Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, in honor of National Adoption 
Month, I want to recognize one member of Montana's community who has 
opened her home and heart to be an adoptive parent. Mrs. Mary Crawford 
is what I believe one of the best Montana has to offer.
  As an original cosponsor of a resolution to designate November as 
National Adoption Month and November 21 as National Adoption Day that 
passed the Senate unanimously this week, I could find no better time 
than this to honor Mary. This month we honor selfless individuals like 
Mary who have dedicated themselves toward comforting, protecting, and 
improving the lives of children they have welcomed into their homes.
  Like most foster parents who later become adoptive parents, the 
process isn't easy, but the resolve of both Mary and husband to 
continue to provide a loving home for nine children is nothing short of 
admirable. Mary has provided a family which has made a huge difference 
in these children's lives--giving them a family for life, beyond just 
their childhood years. These children are safe today in the arms of 
loving, adopting parents because of Mary.
  Montana has kids who are ready and waiting to be adopted. In fact, 
there are 415,000 children currently in the U.S. foster care system, 
and 108,000 of those are waiting to be adopted. Mary has taken 
tremendous steps in providing six children with a forever home to give 
them the stability and love that she and her husband could provide.
  I am unbelievably proud to have a citizen like Mary Crawford in the 
great State of Montana. I am thankful for the love and support she has 
shown these children.

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