President Bush Signs the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003
Remarks by the President at the Signing of H.R. 3182, the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003
The Roosevelt Room
9:25 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good to see you all. Thank you. Thanks. Please
be seated. Hi, Mary. Thank you, Jim. Thanks for coming. Thank you
all for coming. Gosh, we got a lot of great -- great families with us
today. We're really proud you all are here. I want to thank you for
coming to the Roosevelt Room. I'm delighted you're here.
The adoption of a boy or a girl is a moment of joy for a family,
and it's an act of great generosity. When parents share their homes
and all they have with a child, the child they adopt and love as their
own, all their lives are transformed forever. Isn't that right?
MRS. MARTIN: Yes.
MR. MARTIN: Yes. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: In every young life there is a great need to
belong. For the sake of our children, this nation has a responsibility
to encourage adoption of children at all ages -- from infants to
adolescents. The legislation I'm about to sign today sends a clear
message: Our society is building a culture that values every life, and
our government strongly supports adoption.
I appreciate Deputy Secretary Claude Allen, from the Department of
Health and Human Services, for joining us. I want to thank three
members of the Congress who have been instrumental in this legislation,
and I appreciate their good, hard work. Senator Mary Landrieu, of the
great state of Louisiana, is with us -- Jim Oberstar, of Minnesota, and
Dave Camp, of Michigan. Thank you all for coming. I appreciate you
taking time to come to herald this important piece of legislation. I'm
honored you all are here.
Bruce Willis is not with us, but I do want to thank him for being
the national spokesperson on foster care and adoption. His message is
helpful. It's important to help spread the word about the joys of
adoption, and Bruce has been mighty helpful in doing just that.
I want to thank the parents of adoptive children who are with us
today -- the Martin Family; the Hendrix Family are with us, and the
Morris Family; and the Schwarzwalder Family. I'm honored you all are
here. I want to thank you for giving me a chance, and the members of
Congress a chance, after the bill signing, to personally thank you for
showing America the generosity of spirit that makes our country such a
wonderful place. We're really glad you're here.
Thanks to the Congress, and thanks to the groups that work on
behalf of foster children, and to moms and dads across America, these
last few years have brought real progress in the cause of adoption.
We're making progress here in America.
Six years ago, Congress provided new incentives to the states to
promote foster care adoptions, and those incentives have worked. I
suspect these members of Congress worked on that important
legislation. In just five years, from 1998 to 2002, the states placed
more than 230,000 children in adoptive homes -- about the same number
that had been adopted in the previous 10 years. We're making some
progress here in America. (Applause.)
In the same period, thirty-three states and the District of
Columbia have at least doubled foster care adoptions. To further
promote adoption, we increased the adoption tax credit in 2001 from
$5,000 to $10,000. I want to thank the members for working on that
important piece of legislation. I hope it helps families.
In 2002, my administration created a new website called
adoptuskids.org, which has already helped to join nearly 2,000 children
with adoptive parents. In other words, if you want to be a part of
this movement of love in America, go to the website. And the website
will help you understand how best to become an adoptive parent. Many
more still await their chance and their home, and we are determined to
help all children in America.
Today in America, more 126,000 foster children still need an
adoptive family. And nearly half of these children are past the age of
nine. Foster parents bring help and kindness at a crucial point in a
child's life, yet foster care is by nature temporary. And the aim of
the system, and the desire of every child is a permanent home. The
bill I sign this morning will help bring that opportunity to many more
children of all ages.
The Adoption Promotion Act of 2003 will continue all the current
incentives that have created new momentum for the adoption process in
our states. In addition, we will begin monitoring the adoptions of
foster children age nine and older, and provide extra incentives for
states to increase adoption of older children. This is a proven way to
increase the placement of children from foster care to permanent homes,
and each one of those homes will be richer for the addition of new
family members.
Here's one example standing with me. It's what we call a
good-sized American family. (Laughter.)
MRS. MARTIN: Amen.
MR. MARTIN: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT: Diana and Chris Martin, good, solid Americans, a
good loving mom and dad, are with us with seven children -- four of
them adopted at ages 6, 8, 10, and 11 years old. (Applause.) You were
six.
MRS. MARTIN: That's right.
THE PRESIDENT: How old are you?
TERRANCE MARTIN: Seven.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay, seven. (Laughter.) I'll take it up with the
fact-checker. (Laughter.) Children who, at one time, were 6, 8, 10
and 11. (Laughter.)
Chris says, "Besides having to add a whole new wing on the house,"
-- maybe the tax credit helps (laughter) -- "it can be emotionally
trying. They have a sense of abandonment, and they came with the fear
of bonding to you because they've been let down, and they're afraid."
He also said, "It's been rewarding because you can see the love in
their eyes when they finally realize they have a place, they have a
home, and that I am their dad."
Adoptive parents are giving much, and they are gaining much. The
future of many thousands of children depend on the willingness of
caring parents to make that personal commitment. It would take less
than 1 percent of the American population to provide a home to every
child awaiting adoption. Welcoming a child into your home and calling
that child your son or daughter is a major decision. It is never to be
made lightly. Yet so many parents who have made that decision, count
it among life's greatest and happiest turning points. And so I hope
more Americans, after careful thought and prayer, will make the
decision to adopt a boy or girl of their own.
The act of Congress strongly affirms our national commitment to
adoption, and will encourage adoption in every part of our land. I
want thank you all for coming. We're honored to be with such loving
parents and great Americans. And now I'd like to ask the members of
Congress to join me as I sign this important piece of legislation, and
maybe this great family would like to join us, as well. Thanks for
coming. (Applause.) Here, Mary, get in here. All right, is everybody
ready?
AUDIENCE: Yes.
CHILD: Can I come in there, too?
THE PRESIDENT: You want to come in here? (Laughter.)
CHILDREN: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT: Sure, come on. All right. They won't ask her
any questions. (Laughter.) You ready?