[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 45 (Monday, November 11, 2002)]
[Pages 1932-1933]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7619--National Adoption Month, 2002

 November 1, 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

[[Page 1933]]

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.
    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.
                                                George W. Bush

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., November 5, 
2002]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on 
November 6. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.