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
