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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1572 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1572

 Honoring the selfless acts of adoption, fostering, and unconditional 
 love by Bishop W.C. Martin, First Lady Donna Martin, and the Bennett 
  Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Possum Trot, Texas, toward the 
 children in their community, and recognizing families across America 
    who strive to foster, adopt, and better the lives of vulnerable 
                  children in the foster care system.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 14, 2024

Mr. Moran submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Honoring the selfless acts of adoption, fostering, and unconditional 
 love by Bishop W.C. Martin, First Lady Donna Martin, and the Bennett 
  Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Possum Trot, Texas, toward the 
 children in their community, and recognizing families across America 
    who strive to foster, adopt, and better the lives of vulnerable 
                  children in the foster care system.

Whereas there are approximately 370,000 children in the child welfare system 
        nationwide, many of whom have suffered neglect, abuse, or trauma while 
        they were living in neglectful, dangerous, or unsafe environments;
Whereas the families of the Bennett Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Possum 
        Trot, Texas, under the leadership of Bishop and First Lady Martin, came 
        to the rescue of 77 of these children by providing safe and caring homes 
        through their determination, prayer, and unconditional love;
Whereas, nearly three decades ago, Bishop W.C. Martin and his wife Donna 
        crusaded for members of their 100-member congregation church to adopt 
        children from the overwhelmed Texas foster care system in and around the 
        Possum Trot, Texas, community;
Whereas the Martins, who already had 2 biological children, decided to adopt 
        another 4, starting a movement of 22 families within the Possum Trot 
        community to adopt or foster children without a home;
Whereas Mrs. Martin was inspired to adopt after the death of her beloved mother, 
        Murtha, who had raised 18 children, and stated, ``And the Holy Spirit 
        said, `Think about those other children out there that do not have what 
        you had with your mother.' I was overcome with such warmness. I walked 
        back into the house, picked up the Yellow Pages and called an adoption 
        agency'';
Whereas this story has been retold in the recent film, ``Sound of Hope: The 
        Story of Possum Trot'', which is a story of inspiration for all of us to 
        give more; to love more; to do more for those around us, and according 
        to Bishop Martin, the ``Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot'' serves 
        as a testimony of ``hope for children, hope that they will find a 
        primacy in their life, a home, a mother, a father, love and God''; and
Whereas the Martins continue to lead Bennett Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in 
        Possum Trot today, and continue to advocate for foster and adoptive care 
        nationwide: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) highlights National Adoption Awareness Month;
            (2) recognizes the importance of a stable, safe, and loving 
        home for the overall well-being and success of a child, and how 
        adoption is an important permanency option and has changed the 
        lives of millions of children for the better;
            (3) honors Bishop W.C. Martin, First Lady Donna Martin, and 
        the Bennett Chapel Missionary Baptist Church for their many 
        acts of selflessness and unconditional love through adoption 
        and fostering in the Possum Trot, Texas, community;
            (4) honors the many families across America who are 
        currently fostering or adopting and the organizations 
        supporting these families, including families acting as 
        guardians or providing kinship care, and the many children who 
        benefit from foster, kinship, guardianship, and adoptive care;
            (5) encourages other families to consider fostering and 
        adopting children, or to find an avenue to support such loving 
        families who have undertaken to foster and adopt; and
            (6) supports the enactment of legislation such as H.R. 
        8793, the Foster Care Adoption Oversight and Support Act, which 
        would collect data on adoptions from the foster care system to 
        improve outcomes for adopted children and their families and to 
        identify discrepancies in resources and services to families 
        and children.
                                 <all>
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