S10302 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 1, 2008 

techniques, who confused interrogators 

with constantly shifting policies, and 

that ignored the many voices who told 

them that what they were doing was 

unlawful and that it was not the American way. And it extends to the President himself, who has acknowledged 

publicly that in 2003 he approved meetings of his most senior national security officials to consider and sign off on 

so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. The abuses that have occurred 

under this administration’s watch have 

constituted one of the darkest episodes 

in this Nation’s recent history. They 

have fed growing anger at and opposition to U.S. policies, and in the process 

have undermined our efforts to combat 

al-Qaida and associated extremist 

groups. The next administration will 

have to work long and hard to undo the 

damage that has been done to our 

country’s reputation and national security and to restore the rule of law. 

f 

RESOURCE FAMILY RECRUITMENT 

AND RETENTION ACT 

Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I 

rise today to voice my support for the 

Resource Family Recruitment and Retention Act of 2008, which was introduced on September 16, 2008, by my 

good friend Senator BLANCHE LINCOLN

of Arkansas. This is an important piece 

of legislation, and I am proud to be an 

original cosponsor. 

I have long been a member of the 

Congressional Coalition on Adoption 

and worked in a bipartisan manner to 

support adoptive and foster parents 

and children. In 1997, I strongly advocated for the passage of the Adoption 

and Safe Families Act which has made 

a significant difference in the lives of 

vulnerable children. Since the implementation of the Adoption and Safe 

Families Act, the number of children 

adopted out of foster care has more 

than doubled. In West Virginia alone, 

more than 3,600 children have been 

adopted out of the West Virginia foster 

care system. This is a real victory for 

these children who deserve the love and 

comfort of a safe, permanent home. 

However, with more than 500,000 children still in foster care, it is clear that 

more needs to be done. This is why I 

was so pleased when the Senate passed 

the Fostering Connections to Success 

and Increasing Adoptions Act by unanimous consent. This legislation will 

provide additional support for grandparents and other relatives who provide a safe home for children in foster 

care. Additionally, this legislation will 

allow states to continue to assist older 

foster children, those who are 18, 19, 20, 

or 21 years old, so that these children 

aging out of the system do not have to 

choose between pursuing an education 

or working to prevent becoming homeless. I believe that this legislation is 

another step towards the ultimate goal 

of each child having a safe, permanent 

home. 

Senator LINCOLN’s legislation would 

also help bring us closer to this goal. A 

study conducted in 2005 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that one in five foster homes 

leaves the system each year. One-fifth 

of the foster parent population provides 60 to 80 percent of all foster care. 

Foster parents sacrifice in tremendous 

ways to provide a home for vulnerable 

children. The Resource Family Recruitment and Retention Act would 

support their efforts by awarding 

grants to States to improve the leadership, support, training, recruitment, 

and retention of foster care, kinship 

care, and adoptive parents. 

It is my hope that organizations and 

individuals such as Mr. Dennis Sutton 

of the Children’s Home Society of West 

Virginia, who has worked tirelessly in 

his effort to secure a home for all of 

West Virginia’s vulnerable children, 

will have the financial support to find 

and retain enough foster parents to 

make this goal a reality. Foster and 

adoptive parents will greatly benefit 

from the Resource Family Recruitment 

and Retention Act, but the big winners 

will be the children who are placed loving homes. We need to invest and focus 

on these families. 

f 

AFRICOM 

Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today 

marks the full operational launch of 

the U.S. Africa Command, known as 

AFRICOM. I have long supported the 

idea of a unified regional combatant 

command for Africa that recognizes 

the continent’s growing strategic importance for U.S. security and that is 

coordinated with other U.S. agencies. 

As I have discussed many times on the 

Senate floor, we can not pretend that 

weak and failing states, protracted violent conflicts, maritime insecurity, 

narcotics and weapons trafficking, 

large-scale corruption, and the misappropriation and exploitation of natural resources are not relevant to our 

long-term interests. At the same time, 

there are exciting economic and social 

developments underway across Africa 

that provide openings for the United 

States to help save lives, strengthen 

governance institutions, and build 

long-term partnerships. It is not a 

question of whether the United States 

needs to work proactively and collaboratively with African nations in these 

areas but a question of how we should 

do so to maximize our efficacy while 

minimizing potential backlash. 

Toward that end, the standup of 

AFRICOM presents both opportunities 

and risks. Indisputably, our Nation’s 

military strength is one of our greatest 

assets and may be necessary to deal 

with some of the emerging national 

and transnational threats, such as narcotics trafficking, piracy, and terrorism. Military training, equipping, 

and logistical support are essential to 

develop strong, disciplined national 

militaries and also strengthen regional 

peacekeeping, especially with African 

Union missions currently operating in 

Somalia and Sudan. Furthermore, in 

many postconflict societies, such as Liberia, our military expertise can assist 

in demobilization, disarmament, and 

reintegration while also helping to rebuild that country’s army. 

However, while militaries make important contributions in these areas, 

they are insufficient to address the underlying causes of violence and instability in Africa. Lasting security requires reconciling political grievances, 

improving governance, strengthening 

the rule of law, and promoting economic development: tasks for which 

our military, or any military for that 

matter, cannot be the lead. To advance 

and support those tasks, the United 

States needs to continue to invest in 

our diplomatic, economic, humanitarian, and development capacities on 

the continent. We need a unified interagency approach to these challenges in 

which AFRICOM is supporting, not 

eclipsing, the work of our diplomats, 

our aid workers, and other key partners. 

I am concerned that the opposite is 

happening. Despite initial ambitions to 

have 25 percent of AFRICOM’s headquarters’ positions filled by nonmilitary staff, that number has been 

severely reduced because of resource 

and staffing limitations in civilian 

agencies. Furthermore, a report by the 

Government Accountability Office published this July stated that concerns 

persist among civilian agencies and 

nongovernmental organizations that 

the military is becoming the lead for 

U.S. policy in Africa. Even as Pentagon 

officials claim this is not their intention, it is hard to argue with the numbers. While civilian agencies operating 

abroad continue to face resource constraints, more and more resources are 

being invested in military relationships and assistance in Africa. 

Given this context, it is not surprising that some are casting 

AFRICOM’s emergence as a signal of 

further militarization of U.S. Africa 

policy. Such perceptions of militarization are dangerous and risk undermining our ability to engage local populations. As I have said many times, 

the military has a critical role to play 

in helping Africans address their security challenges, but we must be careful 

that it does not outweigh or overshadow other forms of engagement. 

This is especially true in cases where 

local security forces are engaging in 

repressive tactics or committing serious human rights abuses, such as in 

Chad or Ethiopia. In these cases, we 

run a very real risk that U.S. military 

engagement could be seen by local populations as complicit in those abuses 

and become a target of resulting grievances. Before we jump at short-term 

opportunities to exert military influence, we need to consider seriously the 

long-term risks to U.S. stature and interests. 

Mr. President, this is not to say that 

AFRICOM is not capable of such 

nuanced strategic planning and interagency coordination. I have met with 


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October 1, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10303 

General Ward and know that he is 

aware of both the opportunities and 

risks as AFRICOM stands up. I still believe that a unified regional combatant 

command can contribute to broader 

U.S. Government efforts to confront 

the many security challenges in Africa 

and can provide additional tools to pursue coherent and strategic objectives 

across the continent. But to fulfill that 

potential, AFRICOM must demonstrate 

in its inaugural months and years that 

it recognizes the unique political realities throughout Africa, concentrates 

on its defined mandate, and takes its 

lead from our diplomats. Simultaneously, we in Congress must act to ensure that our diplomats have the resources they need to take that lead in 

formulating and implementing comprehensive U.S. strategies in Africa. 

f 

NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH 

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise 

today in honor of National Adoption 

Day and National Adoption Month. 

Senator COLEMAN and I understand 

that the Senate passed our resolution 

recognizing National Adoption Day and 

National Adoption Month. I stand before you today and challenge every 

Member of Congress to take this opportunity to be the voice for children who 

do not necessarily have someone to 

speak for them. 

As chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I strongly believe 

that ‘‘there is no such thing as an unwanted child, just unfound families.’’ 

The Hague Convention recognizes 

‘‘that the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.’’ Unfortunately, not all children have a family 

of their own, but through adoption our 

children have the opportunity to find 

their ‘‘forever family.’’ 

Nearly half of all Americans have 

been touched by adoption, and last 

year more than 4,200 children became 

members of permanent loving families 

through adoption celebrations that 

were held in all 50 States, the District 

of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. I commend every State for its efforts, but we 

still have miles to go. 

Between 2002 and 2007, approximately 

4.8 million children were serviced by 

the U.S. foster care system, and only 

310,000 of them were adopted by ‘‘forever families.’’ Children in foster care 

are some of the most vulnerable members of our society, and we must do everything in our power to make sure 

they have the necessary tools to live a 

normal healthy life. As Members of 

Congress we have taken a stance in 

helping children move from foster care 

to permanent, adoptive homes by passing the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 

2008. However, National Adoption Day 

gives us the chance to experience firsthand the joys that adoption brings to 

the lives of our children and their families. 

President Bush has recognized the 

importance of adoption to children and 

our Nation. That is why he declares 

November to be National Adoption 

Month. This year National Adoption 

Day occurs on November 15 as a part of 

National Adoption Month. National 

Adoption Day is an event to raise 

awareness of the 129,000 children in foster care who are waiting for permanent 

families. Since the first National Adoption Day in 2000, nearly 20,000 children 

have joined ‘‘forever families’’ on this 

special day. This year we hope to have 

events in all 50 States, the District of 

Columbia, and Puerto Rico. 

I want you to picture what happens 

on this fall day, children running, 

laughing, and playing with their new 

parent. Think about a girl or boy planning their special outfit and joyously 

awaiting the family celebration. Imagine the excitement welling up inside of 

a child as she looks into her new parent’s eyes and knows she is finally part 

of a family. She will never dread the 

sound of a car coming to take her away 

again or wonder where she will lay her 

head or which school she will be moved 

to. 

Now picture the other dramatically 

different reality. There are approximately 513,000 current foster care children in the United States, and 114,000 of 

them are waiting for adoption. Since 

1987, the number of children in foster 

care has nearly doubled, and the average time a child remains in foster care 

has lengthened to nearly 3 years. Each 

year, approximately 24,000 children in 

foster care will age out of the system 

without ever being placed with a permanent family. 

According to a survey by the Dave 

Thomas Foundation for Adoption, 

many potential adoptive parents have 

considered foster care adoption, but ‘‘a 

majority of Americans hold misperceptions about the foster care adoption process and the children who are 

eligible for adoption.’’ For example, 

‘‘two-thirds of those considering foster 

care adoption are unnecessarily concerned that biological parents can return to claim their children and nearly 

half of all Americans mistakenly believe that foster care adoption is expensive, when in reality adopting from 

foster care is without substantial 

cost.’’ 

Most foster children entered into 

State custody because their parents 

were either unable or unwilling to care 

for them. Not only are children separated from parents, but in many cases, 

siblings are separated when they are 

placed in foster care. Over half the 

children in foster care are 10 years of 

age or older and have more difficulty 

being adopted. These children are just 

waiting to flourish with the right parent’s guidance. 

In Louisiana there are 4,541 children 

in foster care and 1,162 of them are 

waiting to be adopted. I would like to 

share with you how foster care and 

adoption has affected some of our children in Louisiana. 

Ian is 15 years old and first entered 

foster care at the age of 5 due to physical abuse and lack of supervision by 

his mother. Ian’s mother surrendered 

her parental rights, and he and his 

three sisters were placed for adoption. 

Ian’s younger sisters were adopted by 

their foster parents. 

In November 2006, Ian was placed in a 

specialized foster home after completing a facility program. This family 

has worked very closely with Ian in 

learning to trust others, making appropriate choices, on becoming part of a 

family unit, and being able to ‘‘attach’’ 

to others in preparation of an adoptive 

family. Ian is working very hard to adjust to a ‘‘traditional family lifestyle’’ 

and is progressing well in this family 

setting. Ian states he wants an adoptive family that says, ‘‘You are our 

child and we will not turn you away.’’ 

Ian is very personable and is looking 

for acceptance in life. He is polite, affectionate, and very adventurous. Ian 

enjoys playing basketball, riding bikes, 

reading Harry Potter books, and playing video games. Numerous recruitment efforts for an adoptive home have 

been made since Ian was placed in the 

specialized foster home, but an adoptive family has not been found to date. 

One of the greatest barriers to adoption is a lack of resources of prospective adoptive families willing to adopt 

older children. 

While Ian is still desperately searching for someone to love and care for 

him, Christopher, through all of his 

struggles, has found that sense of permanency. Christopher is 12 years old 

and first entered foster care at the age 

of 2 months. He was subject to abuse by 

his biological father that resulted in a 

skull fracture, subdural hematoma, 

bruises, bites, and burns. Christopher 

had many developmental delays and 

problematic behaviors requiring placement in specialized foster homes. 

Christopher’s removal was requested 

by several foster placements because of 

behavioral issues. In June 2006, a foster 

parent who had provided respite for 

Christopher was asked to consider the 

fostering of Christopher as the child 

had formed a very strong bond to this 

foster parent and her children during 

his respite visits. Upon placement in 

this home, drastic improvements were 

noted in Christopher’s behavior, socialization, academic achievements, and 

physical health. In all appearances, 

Christopher was now functioning in the 

normal range for his age and with 

minimal evidence of neurological impairment. Christopher’s neurologist 

continued to marvel at Christopher’s 

functioning considering the extensive 

injuries he had suffered as an infant. 

One day while the adoption social 

worker was visiting with Christopher 

and his foster mother, Christopher said 

he wanted to change his name to 

‘‘Kantrell.’’ The social worker responded ‘‘Kantrell (and Christopher’s 

last name), that does sound nice.’’ 

Christopher replied no, ‘‘Kantrell’’ and 

the last name of his foster mother. The 


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