IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 833 

Expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National 

Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the 

children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in 

adoption, and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency, and 

well-being for all children. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 15, 2007 

Mr. OBERSTAR (for himself, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. 

MCDERMOTT, and Mr. CAMP of Michigan) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day 

and National Adoption Month by promoting national 

awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, 

celebrating children and families involved in adoption, 

and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency, and well-being for all children. 

Whereas there are approximately 514,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, approximately 

115,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them; 

Whereas 52 percent of the children in foster care are age 10 

or younger; 


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Whereas the average length of time a child spends in foster 

care is over 2 years; 

Whereas, for many foster children, the wait for a loving family in which they are nurtured, comforted, and protected 

seems endless; 

Whereas the number of youth who ‘‘age out’’ of foster care 

by reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home has increased by 41 percent since 1998, and 

nearly 25,000 foster youth age out every year; 

Whereas every day loving and nurturing families are 

strengthened and expanded when committed and dedicated individuals make an important difference in the life 

of a child through adoption; 

Whereas a recent survey conducted by the Dave Thomas 

Foundation for Adoption demonstrated that though 

‘‘Americans overwhelmingly support the concept of adoption, and in particular foster care adoption . . . foster 

care adoptions have not increased significantly over the 

past five years’’; 

Whereas, while 3 in 10 Americans have considered adoption, 

a majority of Americans have misperceptions about the 

process of adopting children from foster care and the 

children who are eligible for adoption; 

Whereas 71 percent of those who have considered adoption 

consider adopting children from foster care above other 

forms of adoption; 

Whereas 45 percent of Americans believe that children enter 

the foster care system because of juvenile delinquency, 

when in reality the vast majority of children who have entered the foster care system were victims of neglect, 

abandonment, or abuse; 


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Whereas 46 percent of Americans believe that foster care 

adoption is expensive, when in reality there is no substantial cost for adopting from foster care and financial support is available to adoptive parents after the adoption is 

finalized; 

Whereas both National Adoption Day and National Adoption 

Month occur in November; 

Whereas National Adoption Day is a collective national effort 

to find permanent, loving families for children in the foster care system; 

Whereas, since the first National Adoption Day in 2000, 

nearly 17,000 children have joined forever families during 

National Adoption Day; 

Whereas, in 2006, adoptions were finalized for over 3,300 

children through more than 250 National Adoption Day 

events in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and 

Puerto Rico; and 

Whereas, on October 31, 2007, the President proclaimed November 2007 as National Adoption Month, and National 

Adoption Day is on November 17, 2007: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Adoption Day and National Adoption Month; 

4 (2) recognizes that every child should have a 

5 permanent and loving family; and 


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1 (3) encourages the citizens of the United States 

2 to consider adoption during the month of November 

3 and all throughout the year. 

Æ 


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