[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9666 of October 31, 2017

National Adoption Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every year, generous and loving families adopt thousands of children and
provide them with the affection, attention, and opportunity they
deserve. Adoption is a true blessing that greatly enriches the lives of
parents and children alike. During National Adoption Month, we celebrate
the thousands of families who have expanded through adoption, and we
acknowledge the strength and resiliency of the children who are still
waiting to find their forever home.
My Administration recognizes the profound importance of adoption for the
American family. Adoption is a life-changing and life-affirming act that
signals that no child in America--born or unborn--is unwanted or

[[Page 2540]]

unloved. Adoptive parents are a selfless and loving part of God's plan
for their future children. As a Nation, we extend sincere appreciation
and gratitude to those families who have welcomed a young person into
their hearts and homes, sharing the precious gift of family and a
lifetime of support.
We must continue to remove barriers to adoption whenever we can, so that
the love and care of prospective adoptive parents can be directed to
children waiting for their permanent homes. This year's National
Adoption Month, we focus on our commitment to helping older youth
experience the transformative value of permanency and love. A child is
never too old for adoption. A supportive family can provide the critical
direction that older children need as they enter adulthood, helping them
attain educational and employment goals, and, in certain cases, avoid
homelessness or incarceration. We never outgrow the need for family, and
older youth who are adopted are more likely to finish high school and
feel emotionally secure than those who age out of foster care without a
permanent family.
This month, let us celebrate the gift of adoption--an act of love that
provides deserving young people with the foundation they need to achieve
their potential and pursue the American Dream.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2017 as
National Adoption Month. I encourage all Americans to observe this month
by helping children in need of a permanent home secure a more promising
future with a forever family, so they may enter adulthood with the love
we all deserve.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
second.
DONALD J. TRUMP