Richard Burr: “I rise to, in a minute, ask unanimous consent to call up and pass the Intercountry Adoption Information Act of 2019, but…”

“I rise to, in a minute, ask unanimous consent to call up and pass the Intercountry Adoption Information Act of 2019, but first let me say that this is a strong bipartisan bill that was first introduced in March of 2019, with Senators Cardin, Blunt, Klobuchar, Tillis, Brown, and Wicker as original cosponsors. When the House considered its version of the bill last year, it passed 397 to 0. Let repeat that, 397 to 0. No House Member objected to it. Our country is divided on many issues right now, but one thing that unites most of us is the belief that all children deserve to grow up in a permanent, loving home. This is a matter of justice and recognizing the intrinsic dignity in every human being. Many, many Americans have done more than just hold this belief; they have acted on it, adopting children both domestically and internationally. According to the most recent available statistics, however, intercountry adoption has dramatically declined in recent years. Last year, fewer than 3,000 children were adopted in the United States--down from nearly 23,000 in 2004. There are numerous reasons for this decline, many of which warrant continued efforts to ensure that orphan children are given the chance to grow up in a loving home, whether in their own country or here in the United States. We must address any barriers by examining our own policies and how they are implemented and by working internationally to help more children grow up in families.…”