Advocacy

Active Campaign: Action Plan on Children in Adversity:

December 19, 2012 was a historic day for the children we serve when the US Government Action Plan on Children in Adversity¹ was formally launched at the White House on. Why historic? Here are three reason this is important and groundbreaking.

1) This is the first time ever that a US government plan includes appropriate, protective, and permanent family care for all children as a primary objective.

2) It includes children previously unidentified and underserved – children living in institutions and all children who live without parental care.

3) And it promotes a full spectrum of services that will help keep children in families and move children into families – with domestic and intercountry adoption listed as two of those services

In short, the Action Plan seeks to ensure that all children grow up within protective family care and are free from violence, deprivation or danger.  It’s great, historic and unprecedented.  And our community – those who know the need for and right to a safe permanent family – have been involved in informing, crafting and ensuring that putting family first remains one of the Action Plans three pillars.

Read the full Action Plan here.

Legislation

Updates regarding Child Welfare Legislation during 112th United States Congress will be provided as they are introduced into Congress.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s provides detailed information regard child welfare legislation, please click here to view their website.

To contact your Senators, please click here.

To contact your Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, please click here.

Child Welfare Legislation during 111th United States Congress:

S.1458: Families for Orphans Act of
2009
Introduced: 7/16/09
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary
Related Legislation: H.R.3070;
H.R.3031
Encourages the development and implementation of a comprehensive, global
strategy for the preservation and reunification of families and the provision of
permanent parental care for orphans. Referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations 7/16/09.

H.R.3070: Families for Orphans Act
of 2009
Introduced: 6/26/09
Sponsor: Rep. Watson, Diane
Related Legislation: S.1458;
H.R.3031
Encourages the development and implementation of a comprehensive, global
strategy for the preservation and reunification of families and the provision of
permanent parental care for orphans. Referred to the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs 6/26/09.

S.1359: Foreign Adopted Children
Equality (FACE) Act
Introduced: 6/25/09
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary
Related Legislation: H.R.3110
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish automatic citizenship
criteria for a child adopted outside the United States by a U.S. citizen parent.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 6/25/09.

H.R.3110: Foreign Adopted Children
Equality (FACE) Act
Introduced: 6/26/09
Sponsor: Rep. Watson, Diane
Related Legislation: S.1359
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish automatic citizenship
criteria for a child adopted outside the United States by a U.S. citizen parent.
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees,
Border Security, and International Law 8/19/09.

H.R. 5283: Help Haiti Act of 2010
Introduced: 5/12/10
Sponsor: Rep. Fortenberry, Jeff
Related Legislation: S.3411
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to adjust to permanent
resident status as an alien who was granted parole admission into the United
States pursuant to the humanitarian parole policy for certain Haitian orphans
announced on January 18,2010, and suspended as to new applications on April
15,2010, if such alien: (1) applies for adjustment; (2) is physically present in the
U.S.; (3) is admissible as an immigrant. Allows legal guardian or adoptive parent
to apply on behalf of a minor. Status: Passed Senate with an amendment
by Unanimous Consent 8/4/10. Status: Presented to the President for signature
on 12/3/10.

S.1376: International Adoption
Simplification Act
Introduced: 6/25/09
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy
Signed into Public Law No.
111-287

S. 3411: Help Haiti Act of 2010
Introduced: 5/25/10
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten
Related Legislation: H.R. 5283
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to adjust to permanent
resident status for an alien who was granted parole admission into the United
States pursuant to the humanitarian parole policy for certain Haitian orphans
announced on January 18, 2010, and suspended as to new applications on April
15, 2010, if such alien: (1) applies for adjustment; (2) is physically present in the
U.S.; (3) is admissible as an immigrant. Allows legal guardian or adoptive parent
to apply on behalf of a minor.. Prohibits any derivative immigration benefits
for the birth parent of an alien adjusted under this Act.

S.3091: Adoption Fairness Act
Introduced: 3/9/10
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the Secretary of
Homeland Security (DHS) from charging a fee for the issuance of a Certificate
of Citizenship for a foreign-born child adopted within the United States.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 3/9/10.

H.R.4806: Every Child Deserves a
Family Act
Introduced: 3/10/10
Sponsor: Rep. Stark, Pete
Related Legislation: H.R.3827
To prohibit discrimination in adoption or foster care placements based on the
sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status of any prospective adoptive
or foster parent, or the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child
involved. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means
3/10/10.

H.R.4603: Haitian Orphan
Placement Effort (HOPE) Act
Introduced: 2/4/10
Sponsor: Rep. Hoekstra, Peter
A bill to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to expand the
humanitarian parole policy announced on January 18, 2010, to children legally
confirmed as orphans eligible for intercountry adoption by the Government of
Haiti prior to the earthquake on January 12, 2010, and for other purposes.
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

S.2816: Adoption Tax Relief
Guarantee
Introduced: 11/21/09
Sponsor: Sen. Bunning, Jim
Related Legislation: H.R.213
The Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act will permanently extend and improve
the 2001 adoption incentives, allow adoptive families to receive a tax credit of
up to $10,000, and guarantee the maximum $10,000 credit for families who
adopt children with special needs. In addition, this bill will allow families to
receive the credit in the year an adoption expense is paid or incurred. Under the
2001 incentives, families must wait until the following taxable year before
receiving a tax credit for an adoption expense. Referred to the Committee on
Finance 2/4/10.