April 22, 2000
The Hague Convention is an important human rights treaty that will introduce accountability and transparency into inter-country adoption as well as protect the rights of American adoptees born abroad. 39 countries have already ratified this treaty, and it is time to stop the logjam in the U.S. The treaty, and the HR 2909 and S 682 implementation legislation, is supported by all major child welfare and adoption advocacy organizations.
Hague Convention ratification and the "Intercountry Adoption Act" (HR 2909 and S 682) have stopped dead in the U.S. Congress, as Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) holds up the process with a combination of unacceptable amendments and general obstructionism. Rep. Smith is preventing the bill from being considered on the House floor. We're not too sure why he's holding it up, but he is. It is vitally important that we send a clear message to our respective Congressional delegations:
Write, fax or call your U.S. Senators and Congressman now! PLEASE-- only contact your own Senators and Congressmen, DON'T CONTACT LEGISLATORS FROM OTHER DISTRICTS. And, above all, please be polite.
A full list of their phone numbers and addresses may be found at: <http://www.house.gov/writerep/> (your House representatives), or at <http://www.capweb.net/classic/> (your Senators).
A copy of HR 2909 (which is virtually identical to the Senate bill, S 682) may be found at <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c106:H.R.2909:>
Thank you for taking the time to improve accountability in adoption.
Bastard Nation Legislative Committee
http://www.bastards.org/