Chris Smith: “There are hundreds of other children and U.S. families in the same or similar situations, as I have indicated. I…”

“There are hundreds of other children and U.S. families in the same or similar situations, as I have indicated. I strongly urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 915, which respectfully urges the Government of Ukraine to review and modify its decision to suspend adoption by foreign nationals for adoptive parents like the Gordons and their children. Mr. Speaker, this resolution makes specific recommendations, which I will put in the Record, including cases in which adoptive U.S. parents have already completed, as I mentioned, the requirements under the Ukrainian domestic law for the adoption of Ukrainian children and in which the adoptability of these children has already been confirmed and also which the adoptive U.S. parents have already had their dossiers vetted and approved by the Ukrainian Government. We ask them to please not delay any longer. Those kids want a loving home, and there is one awaiting them as we speak. Second, there are also cases in which Ukrainian children have already participated in hosting programs facilitated by the Government of Ukraine and placed with individuals within the U.S. before suspension of adoption by foreign nationals. Mr. Speaker, those kids have suffered much, certainly being in that kind of isolation. Orphanages are there, but it is so much better to be in a loving home. We have got a remedy sitting right at our fingertips. I am calling on the Ukrainian Government and President Zelenskyy, especially, to do so.…”