Dennis Ross on Families & Children

Encourage adoption of children in foster care.

RESOLUTION: Supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children in foster care awaiting families, recognizing current programs and efforts designed to promote adoption, and encouraging people in the US to seek improved safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.

• Whereas there are 400,540 children in the foster care system in the US, approximately 104,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them;
• Whereas the number of youth who 'age out' of the foster care system by reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home has increased by more than 55% since 1999, and more than 27,000 foster youth 'aged out' of foster care during 2010;
• Whereas while 3 in 10 people in the United States have considered adoption, a majority of them have misconceptions about the process of adopting children from foster care and the children who are eligible for adoption;
• Whereas 45% of people believe that children enter the foster care system because of juvenile delinquency, when in reality the vast majority of children in the foster care system were victims of neglect, abandonment, or abuse;
• Whereas 46% of people believe that foster care adoption is expensive, when in reality there is no substantial cost for adopting from foster care, and financial support in the form of an adoption assistance subsidy is available to adoptive families of eligible children adopted from foster care and continues after the adoption is finalized until the child is 18

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
1. supports the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month;
2. recognizes that every child in foster care deserves a permanent and loving family; and
3. encourages the citizens of the United States to consider adoption of children in foster care who are waiting for a permanent, loving family.