IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 929 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 17, 2016 
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona (for himself, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mrs. 
WAGNER, Mr. PAULSEN, Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. 
BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. 
COOPER, Mr. JOYCE, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. FORBES, Mr. 
HUELSKAMP, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. MARINO, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. LAN-
GEVIN, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. HAHN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CON-
YERS, Ms. NORTON, Ms. BASS, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. 
LUETKEMEYER, and Mrs. HARTZLER) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
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 se-
cure safety, permanency, and well-being for all children. 
Whereas there are millions of unparented children in the 
world, including 427,910 children in the foster care sys-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:30 Nov 18, 2016
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR929.IH
HR929
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 929 IH 
tem in the United States, approximately 111,820 of 
whom are waiting for families to adopt them; 
Whereas 62 percent of the children in foster care in the 
United States are age 10 or younger; 
Whereas the average length of time a child spends in foster 
care is approximately 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 2015, over 20,000 youth ‘‘aged out’’ of foster 
care by reaching adulthood without being placed in a per-
manent home; 
Whereas every day, loving and nurturing families are 
strengthened and expanded when committed and dedi-
cated 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 although 
‘‘Americans overwhelmingly support the concept of adop-
tion, and in particular foster care adoption . . . foster 
care adoptions have not increased significantly over the 
past five years’’; 
Whereas while nearly a quarter of people in the United 
States have considered adoption, a majority of people in 
the United States have misperceptions about the process 
of adopting children from foster care and the children 
who are eligible for adoption; 
Whereas 50 percent of people in the United States believe 
that children enter the foster care system because of ju-
venile delinquency, when in reality the vast majority of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:30 Nov 18, 2016
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR929.IH
HR929
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 929 IH 
children who have entered the foster care system were 
victims of neglect, abandonment, or abuse; 
Whereas 39 percent of people in the United States 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 family reunification, kinship care, and domestic and 
inter-county adoption promote permanency and stability 
to a far greater degree than long-term institutionalization 
and long-term, often disrupted foster care; 
Whereas both ‘‘National Adoption Day’’ and ‘‘National Adop-
tion Month’’ occur in the month of November; 
Whereas ‘‘National Adoption Day’’ is a collective national ef-
fort to find permanent, loving families for children in the 
foster care system; 
Whereas since the first ‘‘National Adoption Day’’ in 2000, 
nearly 58,500 children have joined forever families during 
‘‘National Adoption Day’’; and 
Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual procla-
mation to declare the month of November as ‘‘National 
Adoption Month’’, and ‘‘National Adoption Day’’ is on 
November 19, 2016: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:30 Nov 18, 2016
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR929.IH
HR929
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 929 IH 
(3) encourages the people of the United States 
to consider adoption during the month of November 
and all throughout the year. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:30 Nov 18, 2016
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR929.IH
HR929
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS