Adam Smith: “I rise in support of the Adoption Promotion and Stability Act. As a mother and grandmother, I can tell you that adoption…”

“I rise in support of the Adoption Promotion and Stability Act. As a mother and grandmother, I can tell you that adoption creates families where we would otherwise have children languishing in foster care and couples denied a heartfelt desire to raise a family. Due to the costly nature of adoption, it is only right that we provide families with some financial relief. The average cost of an adoption is $20,000. The $5,000 tax credit helps to alleviate the financial pressures and may make the real difference in a couple's decision to adopt. This legislation also provides a commonsense clarification of the Indian Child Welfare Act without infringing upon the rights of the Native American community. A child with no significant cultural, social, or political affiliations should be allowed to be put up for adoption if it is the wish of the birth parents. When I chaired the Youth and Family Services Committee in the Washington State Senate, I had extensive experience with the Indian Child Welfare Act. While I respect the original intent of the act, I believe that standing in the way of a child's welfare due to the arbitrary decision of a tribal court is egregious. The only result has been heartbreak for countless families. I urge my colleagues to support the Adoption Promotion and Stability Act. It is pro-child and pro-family.”