[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 3, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 3CFR7619]

Proc. 7619

Proclamation 7619 of November 1, 2002

National Adoption Month, 2002

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

          Every year, thousands of American families are blessed by 
          adoption. Whether through domestic or international adoption 
          or through the adoption of children from foster care, the love 
          of compassionate families embraces children of all ages and 
          from every background. During National Adoption Month, we 
          recognize the heartfelt commitment of these good citizens, and 
          we renew our pledge to make adoption a more accessible and 
          positive path for American families.
          Children thrive in loving families where they are nurtured, 
          comforted, and protected. We are making important progress in 
          placing children in foster care with adoptive families; and 
          the overall number of children being adopted continues to 
          rise. In the past 5 years, adoptions have increased 
          dramatically; and thus far in 2002, tens of thousands of 
          children have already been adopted.

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          Twenty-three States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
          received adoption incentive awards in FY 2001 for increasing 
          the number of children they placed from foster care into 
          permanent adoptive homes. These recipients have reinvested 
          their bonuses to help improve their respective adoption and 
          child welfare programs. Americans also continue to welcome 
          children from other countries into their homes through 
          international adoptions. Last year, families in the United 
          States adopted over 19,000 children from around the world.
          Despite the progress we have made in increasing our adoption 
          rate, we still have much work to do. More than 130,000 
          children, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, still remain in 
          foster care awaiting adoption. While foster parents offer 
          temporary essential care, the children for whom they care need 
          the stability of a permanent family. It is often challenging 
          to find families for older children and those children who 
          have special needs. Yet they deserve a future with a nurturing 
          family.
          To help States promote adoption and support families who 
          adopt, I signed a tax relief bill last year that permanently 
          eases the financial burden on families that adopt children. 
          And in January 2002, I signed into law a bill to extend and 
          expand the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program. Through 
          this legislation, we are strengthening families by promoting 
          adoption, offering post-adoptive services to families that 
          adopt, and providing education and training vouchers to older 
          adopted children and foster youth.
          In July 2002, my Administration launched the AdoptUSKids 
          national campaign to increase awareness about adoption and its 
          role in helping all children reach their full potential. We 
          have also created the first Federal adoption photo-listing web 
          site devoted to children awaiting adoption and families who 
          adopt, www.AdoptUSKids.org. During its first year, the web 
          site will feature pictures and profiles of more than 6,500 
          children awaiting adoption, as well as a database of approved 
          adoptive families. This unique web site will help to connect 
          children from across the country with loving adoptive 
          families, and it will also serve as a great resource for all 
          adoptive families.
          On November 23, dozens of communities will gather in 
          courtrooms across the country to celebrate National Adoption 
          Day. On this momentous day, thousands of adoptions will be 
          finalized and celebrated. These efforts demonstrate our 
          Nation's dedication to ensuring that every child can thrive in 
          a secure, loving, and stable home.
          Through adoption, Americans can forever change not only a 
          child's life but also their own. By providing children in need 
          with the opportunity to grow and succeed through adoption, we 
          can help them become confident, compassionate, and successful 
          members of society.
          NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United 
          States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by 
          the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby 
          proclaim November 2002 as National Adoption Month. I call on 
          all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs 
          and activities to honor adoptive families, and to participate 
          in efforts to find permanent homes for waiting children.

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          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day 
          of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and of 
          the Independence of the United States of America the two 
          hundred and twenty-seventh.

GEORGE W. BUSH