IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 34 

Calling on the United States and Russia to continue cooperation in securing 

safe and loving homes for unparented children. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 15, 2013 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the United States and Russia to continue cooperation in securing safe and loving homes for unparented 

children. 

Whereas in both the United States and Russia, the number 

of children in need of loving parents far outnumbers the 

families actively seeking to adopt; 

Whereas since 1991 more than 60,000 Russian children have 

found safe, permanent, and loving homes with United 

States families; 

Whereas in 19 cases, adopted Russian children have died 

from abuse or neglect in the care of their adoptive United 

States parents, and others have suffered abuse; 

Whereas Russian President Vladimir Putin said on December 

20, 2012, regarding United States citizens who have 


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•HRES 34 IH 

adopted Russian children, ‘‘We know that tragedies happen but the vast majority of people who adopt Russian 

children take good care of them and are good, decent 

people’’; 

Whereas countries making children available for international 

adoption have the right and responsibility to set procedural safeguards and criteria to ensure the children’s 

well-being; 

Whereas in response to cases of abuse and neglect, the Government of Russia negotiated the July 13, 2011, bilateral 

adoption agreement to strengthen procedural safeguards 

in the adoption process between the United States and 

Russia and to ensure the well-being of children adopted 

by United States families; 

Whereas the bilateral adoption agreement signed on July 13, 

2011, by United States Secretary of State Hillary 

Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey 

Lavrov entered into force between the United States and 

Russia on November 1, 2012; 

Whereas the Russian Government has expressed concern that 

the Russian Government’s efforts to check on the welfare 

of adopted Russian children and to monitor legal proceedings involving abuse against Russian children have 

not been accommodated consistently; 

Whereas, on December 28, 2012, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin signed into law legislation entitled 

‘‘On Measures Concerning the Implementation of Government Policy on Orphaned Children and those without Parental Care’’, which includes a ban on adoptions of Russian children by United States citizens, and may negaVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:02 Jan 16, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR34.IH HR34

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•HRES 34 IH 

tively affect adoptions that are already in process or completed; 

Whereas 52, and possibly more, intercountry adoptions of 

Russian children by United States families are in the 

final legal stages of adoption in Russia, and hundreds of 

additional United States families had adoptions pending 

in Russia as of January 1, 2013; 

Whereas adoption, both domestic and international, is an important child protection tool and an integral part of child 

welfare best practices around the world, along with prevention of abandonment and family reunification; and 

Whereas the United Nations, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, and other international organizations have recognized a child’s right to a family as a 

basic human right worthy of protection: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) appeals to the Russian Government to allow 

3 the adoptions initiated before January 1, 2013, to 

4 proceed to conclusion; 

5 (2) invites the Government of Russia to con6 tinue participation in the bilateral adoption agree7 ment that went into force November 1, 2012; 

8 (3) expresses deep sadness over the untimely 

9 and tragic deaths in the United States of 19 adopted 

10 Russian children and over the other cases of abuse; 


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•HRES 34 IH 

1 (4) celebrates the tens of thousands of loving, 

2 safe United States families who have opened their 

3 homes and hearts to Russian children; 

4 (5) affirms the extensive work of the Russian 

5 Foreign Ministry and the United States Department 

6 of State to create safeguards against future abuse 

7 through the bilateral adoption agreement that went 

8 into force November 1, 2012; and 

9 (6) urges Federal, State, and local governments 

10 and adoptive families to accommodate official inquir11 ies into the well-being of adopted Russian children 

12 and to comply with all adoption requirements delin13 eated by the bilateral agreement, including the moni14 toring of the child’s living conditions and upbring15 ing, the submission of corresponding reports, and 

16 registration of the child with the Russian consulate. 

Æ 


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