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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 471 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 471

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 the people of the United States to secure 
          safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

            November 16 (legislative day, November 15), 2023

Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Cramer, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. 
  Bennet, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Casey, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Daines, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, 
 Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, 
 Mr. King, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Risch, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Rubio, 
 Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tuberville, 
  Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
  Braun, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Mr. Thune) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 the people of the United States to secure 
          safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.

Whereas there are millions of unparented children in the world, including 
        391,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, 
        approximately 114,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them;
Whereas the average length of time a child spends in foster care waiting to be 
        adopted is 33.7 months;
Whereas, for many unparented children, the wait for a loving family, in which 
        the children are nurtured, comforted, and protected, seems endless;
Whereas, in 2021, 14,380 children were at risk of aging out of foster care by 
        reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home;
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, while nearly a quarter of individuals in the United States have 
        considered adoption, a majority of individuals in the United States have 
        misperceptions about the process of adopting children from foster care 
        and the children who are eligible for adoption;
Whereas family reunification, kinship care, and domestic and intercountry 
        adoption promote greater permanency and stability for children;
Whereas the Children's Bureau, an office of the Administration for Children and 
        Families within the Department of Health and Human Services, supports 
        programs, research, and monitoring to help eliminate barriers to 
        adoption and find permanent families for children;
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, more than 75,000 
        children have joined permanent families on National Adoption Day;
Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual proclamation to declare the 
        month of November as National Adoption Month, and the President has 
        proclaimed November 2023 as National Adoption Month; and
Whereas the Saturday before Thanksgiving has been recognized as National 
        Adoption Day since at least 2000, and in 2023, the Saturday before 
        Thanksgiving is November 18: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day 
        and National Adoption Month;
            (2) recognizes that every child should have a permanent and 
        loving family; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to consider 
        adoption during the month of November and throughout the year.
                                 <all>
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