IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 602 
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 1, 2017 
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona (for himself, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. ADERHOLT, Ms. 
BASS, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mrs. 
BLACK, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. CALVERT, 
Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. COMER, Mrs. COMSTOCK, Mr. COOPER, 
Mr. CRAMER, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. EVANS, Ms. FUDGE, 
Mr. GALLAGHER, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. GROTHMAN, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. 
HARTZLER, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. HUIZENGA, Ms. JACKSON 
LEE, Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana, Mr. JONES, Mr. KIND, Mr. KING of 
New York, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. LOFGREN, 
Mr. LONG, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. SEAN PATRICK 
MALONEY of New York, Mr. MARINO, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MOOLENAAR, 
Mr. MULLIN, Mr. PAULSEN, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. POLIQUIN, 
Mr. POSEY, Mr. ROTHFUS, Mr. RUSH, Mr. STIVERS, Mr. VALADAO, Mr. 
WALBERG, Mr. WENSTRUP, and Mr. WITTMAN) 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, 
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•HRES 602 IH 
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-
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 the children are nurtured, comforted, and pro-
tected 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, 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 proc-
ess of adopting children from foster care and the children 
who are eligible for adoption; 
Whereas 50 percent of individuals in the United States be-
lieve 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; 
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•HRES 602 IH 
Whereas 39 percent of individuals in the United States be-
lieve that foster care adoption is expensive, when in re-
ality 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 
intercountry adoption promote permanency and stability 
to a far greater degree than long-term institutionalization 
or long-term, often disrupted, foster care; 
Whereas November is National Adoption Month, and Na-
tional Adoption Day occurs in November; 
Whereas National Adoption Day is a collective national effort 
to find permanent, loving families for children in the fos-
ter care system; 
Whereas, since the first National Adoption Day in 2000, 
more than 60,000 children have joined permanent fami-
lies 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 No-
vember 18, 2017: 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 
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(3) encourages the people of the United States 
to consider adoption during the month of November 
and throughout the year. 
Æ 
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