[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2002)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 67771-67772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28432]



[[Page 67769]]

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Part VI





The President





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Proclamation 7619--National Adoption Month, 2002



Proclamation 7620--National American Indian Heritage Month, 2002



Proclamation 7621--National Hospice Month, 2002
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 215 / Wednesday, November 6, 2002 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 67771]]

                Proclamation 7619 of November 1, 2002

                
National Adoption Month, 2002

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Every year, thousands of American families are blessed 
                by adoption. Whether through domestic or international 
                adoption or through the adoption of children from 
                foster care, the love of compassionate families 
                embraces children of all ages and from every 
                background. During National Adoption Month, we 
                recognize the heartfelt commitment of these good 
                citizens, and we renew our pledge to make adoption a 
                more accessible and positive path for American 
                families.

                Children thrive in loving families where they are 
                nurtured, comforted, and protected. We are making 
                important progress in placing children in foster care 
                with adoptive families; and the overall number of 
                children being adopted continues to rise. In the past 5 
                years, adoptions have increased dramatically; and thus 
                far in 2002, tens of thousands of children have already 
                been adopted.

                Twenty-three States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
                received adoption incentive awards in FY 2001 for 
                increasing the number of children they placed from 
                foster care into permanent adoptive homes. These 
                recipients have reinvested their bonuses to help 
                improve their respective adoption and child welfare 
                programs. Americans also continue to welcome children 
                from other countries into their homes through 
                international adoptions. Last year, families in the 
                United States adopted over 19,000 children from around 
                the world.

                Despite the progress we have made in increasing our 
                adoption rate, we still have much work to do. More than 
                130,000 children, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, 
                still remain in foster care awaiting adoption. While 
                foster parents offer temporary essential care, the 
                children for whom they care need the stability of a 
                permanent family. It is often challenging to find 
                families for older children and those children who have 
                special needs. Yet they deserve a future with a 
                nurturing family.

                To help States promote adoption and support families 
                who adopt, I signed a tax relief bill last year that 
                permanently eases the financial burden on families that 
                adopt children. And in January 2002, I signed into law 
                a bill to extend and expand the Promoting Safe and 
                Stable Families Program. Through this legislation, we 
                are strengthening families by promoting adoption, 
                offering post-adoptive services to families that adopt, 
                and providing education and training vouchers to older 
                adopted children and foster youth.

                In July 2002, my Administration launched the 
                AdoptUSKids national campaign to increase awareness 
                about adoption and its role in helping all children 
                reach their full potential. We have also created the 
                first Federal adoption photo-listing web site devoted 
                to children awaiting adoption and families who adopt, 
                www.AdoptUSKids.org. During its first year, the web 
                site will feature pictures and profiles of more than 
                6,500 children awaiting adoption, as well as a database 
                of approved adoptive families. This unique web site 
                will help to connect children from across the country 
                with loving adoptive families, and it will also serve 
                as a great resource for all adoptive families.

[[Page 67772]]

                On November 23, dozens of communities will gather in 
                courtrooms across the country to celebrate National 
                Adoption Day. On this momentous day, thousands of 
                adoptions will be finalized and celebrated. These 
                efforts demonstrate our Nation's dedication to ensuring 
                that every child can thrive in a secure, loving, and 
                stable home.

                Through adoption, Americans can forever change not only 
                a child's life but also their own. By providing 
                children in need with the opportunity to grow and 
                succeed through adoption, we can help them become 
                confident, compassionate, and successful members of 
                society.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim November 2002 as National 
                Adoption Month. I call on all Americans to observe this 
                month with appropriate programs and activities to honor 
                adoptive families, and to participate in efforts to 
                find permanent homes for waiting children.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                first day of November, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand two, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 02-28432
Filed 11-5-02-8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P