Political Quotes

“today I rise to commemorate the 10th anniversary of a very special organization that is near and dear to my heart, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, or CCAI as it is more commonly known. This institute was formally established in 2001, but sprang from the bicameral, bipartisan congressional caucus known as the Congressional Coalition on Adoption that began in 1985. CCAI is a nonprofit organization that works to raise awareness about the needs of children without families and to remove policy barriers that hinder children from experiencing the love and support a family provides. In 1998, the congressional leaders of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Caucus decided it was time that the coalition organize more formally and hire staff to carry out this important work. It was at this point that we hired our first staff member, Kerry Hasenbalg, who was later to become the first executive director of CCAI. Kerry came to the coalition with extensive knowledge of orphan care and adoption policy having worked in the field for many years. Kerry worked both internationally and domestically on orphan care and adoption issues, and was often sent to Washington, DC, as a liaison to meet with other professionals, leaders and both U.S. and international government officials on international adoption issues.…”