Text 1641, 67 rader
Skriven 2005-11-02 23:33:44 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0511029) for Wed, 2005 Nov 2
===================================================
===========================================================================
National Adoption Month, 2005
===========================================================================

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 2, 2005

National Adoption Month, 2005
A Proclamation by the President the of United States of America




All children deserve strong families with mothers and fathers who are there
to protect and love them. Every year, thousands of Americans extend the
gift of family to a child through adoption. During National Adoption Month,
we recognize the compassion of adoptive and foster families and renew our
pledge to finding loving and stable homes for children in need.

Many of our citizens have revealed the good heart of America by opening
their homes to children through adoption. We are grateful to every family
who provides a safe, nurturing environment for their adopted children. Last
year, an estimated 51,000 children were adopted from our Nation's foster
care system, and tens of thousands more were adopted through private
agencies and from overseas. Today, more than 118,000 children remain in
foster care in the United States awaiting adoption. On November 19,
National Adoption Day, thousands of these children will celebrate the
finalization of their adoptions and go to their new homes, secure in the
love of families they can now call their own.

My Administration remains committed to encouraging adoption. This year, 24
States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico were
recognized through our Adoption Incentives Program for their efforts to
enhance their adoption and child welfare programs. These efforts have
contributed to an increase in adoptions from 28,000 per year in 1996 to an
estimated 51,000 in 2004. In addition, the AdoptUSKids initiative, which
includes public service announcements in English and Spanish and a website,
www.AdoptUSKids.org, has helped place more than 5,000 children in permanent
homes over the last 3 years.

As we observe National Adoption Month, we recognize the many caring
families who have made a difference in a child's life through adoption. By
giving these children the love, guidance, and support they need to grow,
adoptive and foster families play a vital role in helping the next
generation of Americans achieve their dreams.

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 2005 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.

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

GEORGE W. BUSH

# # #

===========================================================================
Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051102-9.html

 * Origin: (1:3634/12)