Chris Smith: “adoption has long been recognized as a loving arrangement for a woman who conceives a child, but is unable to provide…”

“adoption has long been recognized as a loving arrangement for a woman who conceives a child, but is unable to provide her child the care that she knows that the baby needs and deserves. It seems to me that the last thing that the Federal Government should be doing is to create a situation where a woman faces fewer obstacles if she aborts her son or daughter than if she chooses to place her child in an adoptive fashion. As it is, the consent of the biological father is needed for adoption, but not abortion. But the Indian Child Welfare Act further exacerbates this treatment of the two options. If the baby has even the remotest link to Indian ancestry, the tribe can intervene and disrupt an adoption plan, no matter how little, if any, contact the mother or father has had with the tribe. Under the Indian Child Welfare Act, a mother pursuing adoption is not in control of whether her child is placed with a family of her own faith or background or values, nor is she able to make any other important decisions regarding her child's future. If she wishes to relinquish her parental rights in order to pursue an adoption plan, she may lose control of her child's future, to persons unrelated, and who may not even care about that child. Madam Speaker, I support this very important legislation that is being offered.”