IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 24 

Expressing the deep disappointment of the House of Representatives in the 

enactment by the Russia Government of a law ending inter-country 

adoptions of Russian children by United States citizens and urging 

the Russia Government to reconsider the law and prioritize the processing 

of inter-country adoptions involving parentless Russian children who were 

already matched with United States families before the enactment of 

the law. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 14, 2013 

Mrs. BACHMANN (for herself, Ms. BASS, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. JACKSON

LEE, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. TIBERI, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. NUNNELEE, 

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. MARINO, Mr. HUIZENGA

of Michigan, and Mr. PALAZZO) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the deep disappointment of the House of Representatives in the enactment by the Russia Government 

of a law ending inter-country adoptions of Russian children by United States citizens and urging the Russia 

Government to reconsider the law and prioritize the processing of inter-country adoptions involving parentless 

Russian children who were already matched with United 

States families before the enactment of the law. 


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•HRES 24 IH 

Whereas United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that there are 740,000 children in Russia living 

without parental care; 

Whereas the Ministry of Science and Education of Russia estimates that 110,000 children live in state institutions in 

Russia; 

Whereas the number of adoptions by Russian families is modest, with only 7,400 domestic adoptions in 2011 compared with 3,400 adoptions of Russian children by families abroad; 

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 language that permanently 

bans adoptions of Russian children by United States citizens; 

Whereas a spokesman for President Putin, Dmitry Peskov, 

announced that the law is to take effect on January 1, 

2013, thereby abrogating the bilateral agreement between 

Russia and the United States that entered into force on 

November 1, 2012, and requires both countries to provide one year notice of intent to terminate the agreement; 

Whereas 46, and possibly more, inter-country adoptions of 

Russian children by United States families have already 

received a final adoption decree from the Russia judicial 

system, and hundreds of other United States families are 

in the process of adopting Russian children; 

Whereas United Nations Children’s Fund released a statement urging the Russia Government to ensure that ‘‘the 

current plight of the many Russian children in instituVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:19 Jan 15, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR24.IH HR24

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•HRES 24 IH 

tions receives priority attention’’ and that the Russia 

Government consider alternatives to institutionalization 

including ‘‘domestic adoption and inter-country adoption’’; 

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; 

Whereas the Christian Alliance for Orphans reports that 

United States families have opened their homes to more 

than 179,000 orphans from overseas in the last 20 years; 

Whereas after China and Ethiopia, Russia is the third most 

popular country for United States citizens who adopt 

internationally; 

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 more than 60,000 Russia-born children have found 

safe, permanent, and loving homes with United States 

families over the last two decades: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) affirms that all children deserve a perma3 nent, protective family; 

4 (2) values the long tradition of the United 

5 States and Russia Governments working together to 

6 find permanent homes for unparented children; 

7 (3) disapproves of the Russia law ending inter8 country adoptions of Russian children by United 


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1 States citizens because it primarily harms vulnerable 

2 and voiceless children; and 

3 (4) strongly urges the Russia Government to 

4 reconsider the law on humanitarian grounds, in con5 sideration of the well-being of parentless Russian 

6 children awaiting a loving and permanent family, 

7 and prioritize the processing of inter-country adop8 tions of Russian children by United States citizens 

9 that were initiated before the enactment of the law. 

Æ 


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