III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 302 

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 

OCTOBER 20, 2011 

Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. KERRY, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. 

WYDEN, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. 

BLUNT, Mr. LUGAR, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. 

COLLINS, Mr. BAUCUS, Mr. MORAN, Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. 

CARDIN, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. 

DEMINT, Mr. THUNE, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. RISCH, 

Mr. BEGICH, and Mr. ENZI) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

NOVEMBER 16, 2011 

Committee discharged; 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. 


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SRES 302 ATS 

Whereas there are approximately 408,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, approximately 

107,000 of whom are waiting for families to adopt them; 

Whereas 56 percent of the children in foster care are age 10 

or younger; 

Whereas the average length of time a child spends in foster 

care is more than 2 years; 

Whereas for many foster children, the wait for a loving family 

in which they are nurtured, comforted, and protected 

seems endless; 

Whereas in 2010, nearly 28,000 youth ‘‘aged out’’ of foster 

care by reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home; 

Whereas everyday, 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 a 2007 survey conducted by the Dave Thomas 

Foundation for Adoption demonstrated that though 

‘‘Americans overwhelmingly support the concept of adoption, and in particular foster care adoption . . . foster 

care adoptions have not increased significantly over the 

past five years’’; 

Whereas while 4 in 10 Americans have considered adoption, 

a majority of Americans have misperceptions about the 

process of adopting children from foster care and the 

children who are eligible for adoption; 

Whereas 71 percent of those who have considered adoption 

consider adopting children from foster care above other 

forms of adoption; 


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SRES 302 ATS 

Whereas 45 percent of Americans believe that children enter 

the foster care system because of juvenile delinquency, 

when in reality the vast majority of children who have entered the foster care system were victims of neglect, 

abandonment, or abuse; 

Whereas 46 percent of Americans believe that foster care 

adoption is expensive, when in reality there is no substantial cost for adopting from foster care and financial support is available to adoptive parents after the adoption is 

finalized; 

Whereas both National Adoption Day and National Adoption 

Month occur in the month of November; 

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 35,000 children have joined forever families during 

National Adoption Day; 

Whereas in 2010, adoptions were finalized for nearly 5,000 

children through 400 National Adoption Day events in all 

50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico; 

and 

Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual proclamation to declare the month of November as National 

Adoption Month, and National Adoption Day is on November 19, 2011: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Adoption Day and National Adoption Month; 


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SRES 302 ATS 

1 (2) recognizes that every child should have a 

2 permanent and loving family; and 

3 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

4 to consider adoption during the month of November 

5 and all throughout the year. 

Æ 


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