As part of CCAI’s efforts to educate federal policymakers about children in need of families, CCAI tracks legislation related to foster care and adoption.  For the updated list of all pending legislation in the 111th Congress related to these issues, click here.  Please note, CCAI does not take a stand on any particular piece of legislation, rather, we serve as an educational resource to policymakers and advocates.

The Child Welfare League of America highlighted two pieces of legislation in their most recent Children’s Monitor newsletter: the Title IV-E Waiver bill H.R. 6156 which renews the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to approve demonstration projects designed to test innovative strategies in state child welfare programs; and the the CAPTA reauthorization bill S. 3817 which amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, the Family Violence and Services Act, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978, and the Abandoned Infants Assistant Act of 1988 to reauthorize the Acts.

Today on the Floor, the House is expected to pass H. Res. 1648 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children in foster care awaiting families.  A similar Senate version S. Res. 291 is also expected to be passed this week.

Yesterday, the House passed the International Adoption Simplification Act S. 1376.  In a press release announcing this bill will now head to the president to be signed into law, the following explanation of the legislation was given: The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Klobuchar (D-MN) and cosponsored by Senators James Inhofe (R-OK) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA), would allow U.S. parents to adopt children who are siblings, even if one of those children is between the ages of 16 and 18, and help protect children’s health during the adoption process.  The bill would restore two exemptions to U.S. immigration law for internationally adopted children that were eliminated when the United States began implementation of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.