IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1501 
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 30, 2022 
Mr. SMITH of Washington (for himself, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 
Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. LAMBORN, Ms. SALAZAR, Ms. 
LETLOW, Mrs. HINSON, Mr. MULLIN, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. 
BACON, Mr. BUDD, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 
GROTHMAN, Mr. WEBER of Texas, and Ms. CRAIG) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Labor 
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 391,000 children in the foster care sys-
tem in the United States, approximately 114,000 of 
whom are waiting for families to adopt them; 
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•HRES 1501 IH 
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 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 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 Administra-
tion for Children and Families within the Department of 
Health and Human Services, supports programs, re-
search, 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 fos-
ter care system; 
Whereas, since the first National Adoption Day in 2000, 
more than 75,000 children have joined permanent fami-
lies on National Adoption Day; 
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•HRES 1501 IH 
Whereas the President traditionally issues an annual procla-
mation to declare the month of November as National 
Adoption Month, and the President has proclaimed No-
vember 2022 as National Adoption Month; and 
Whereas the Saturday before Thanksgiving has been recog-
nized as National Adoption Day since at least 2000, and 
in 2022, the Saturday before Thanksgiving is November 
19: 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 
(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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