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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 547 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 547

    Recognizing and supporting the success of the Adoption and Safe 
Families Act of 1997 in increasing adoption, observing the efforts that 
   the Act has spurred, including National Adoption Day and National 
   Adoption Month, and encouraging citizens of the United States to 
                 consider adoption throughout the year.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 2, 2006

   Ms. Landrieu (for herself and Mr. Craig) submitted the following 
       resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Finance

                           November 16, 2006

             Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

    Recognizing and supporting the success of the Adoption and Safe 
Families Act of 1997 in increasing adoption, observing the efforts that 
   the Act has spurred, including National Adoption Day and National 
   Adoption Month, and encouraging citizens of the United States to 
                 consider adoption throughout the year.

Whereas, since the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (42 
        U.S.C. 1305 note; Public Law 105-89), the number of children adopted 
        from the foster care system has increased significantly, with 
        approximately 51,000 children adopted from the foster care system in 
        fiscal year 2004 alone;
Whereas, despite that remarkable progress, approximately 118,000 children in the 
        foster care system of the United States are waiting to be adopted, and 
        49 percent of those children are at least 9 years old;
Whereas adoptive families make an important difference in the lives of the 
        children they adopt by providing a stable, nurturing environment for 
        those children;
Whereas National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to find permanent, 
        loving families for children in the foster care system;
Whereas both National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month occur in 
        November;
Whereas, in 2002, the Department of Health and Human Services launched a series 
        of public service announcements promoting the adoption of children aged 
        8 and older;
Whereas more than 6,000 children have been placed into adoptive homes since the 
        Department of Health and Human Services launched www.adoptuskids.org, a 
        national photo listing service for children awaiting adoption across the 
        United States;
Whereas, in 2005, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare 
        agencies, and child advocates in 45 States and the District of Columbia 
        participated in 227 events in conjunction with National Adoption Day; 
        and
Whereas those events finalized the adoptions of more than 3,300 children from 
        the foster care system: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes and supports--
                    (A) the success of the Adoption and Safe Families 
                Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 1305 note; Public Law 105-89) 
                and the efforts that the Act has spurred; and
                    (B) the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day 
                and National Adoption Month; and
            (2) encourages the citizens of the United States to 
        consider adoption throughout the year.
                                 <all>
```