Bill Anticipated to Increase Foreign Adoptions

 Posted on January 07, 2014 in Child Custody

The current lawmakers in Washington DC have been historically slow in creating new laws. There has been too much conflict between the liberals and conservatives on the hill. But a new law that has been proposed looks to unite both sides of the aisle with an issue that is beyond politics. That bill is called the Children in Families First or CHIFF Act. The bill was introduced by State Representatives Kay Granger(R-TX) and Karen Bass (D-CA). Granger said that “every child deserves a family. Parents looking to adopt internationally are already at the mercy of complicated adoption bureaucracies abroad. They shouldn’t have to deal with similar costs and delays here at home. Without increasing spending, the Children in Families First Act helps loving families navigate the adoption process and welcome new additions to their homes.” Overall, foreign adoptions have declined over the years. Almost 23,000 children were adopted internationally in 2004. That decreased steadily to below 9,000 in 2012. There are certain reasons for the decrease as some countries do not allow children to be adopted by Americans. In other countries, the rate of domestic adoptions has increased which also means that fewer children are able to be adopted by Americans. One of the proposed results of this bill is the creation of a new bureau in the State Department whose would work with other countries to place children with families. This would be accomplished with adoption, or family reunification or kinship care. Instead of allowing children to languish without the love of a family, CHIFF hopes to support an increase in international adoptions. There are plenty of children that need loving families. If you have decided that your family is prepared to love a child in need, then you should contact a family law professional who has experience in this process. Contact a knowledgeable family law attorney in DuPage County who can help you add more love to your family.