|
Washington,
D.C.
–
Earlier
this
week,
Sen.
Scott
joined
a
group
of
122
Members
of
Congress
who
are
urging
the
Prime
Minister
of
Ethiopia
to
reconsider
his
April
21st
decision
to
suspend
international
adoptions.
This
decision
has
left
more
than
200
U.S. families,
and
the
Ethiopian
children
they
are
trying
to
bring
home,
in
a
heartbreaking
and
unfortunate
situation.
In
their
letter
to
Prime
Minister
Hailemariam
Desalegn,
the
47
Senators
and
75
members
of
the
House
of
Representatives
said:
“While
we
respect
your
government’s
decisions
regarding
future
adoption
policy
in
Ethiopia,
we
ask
for
your
help
in
resolving
expeditiously
cases
that
were
already
underway
on
April
21.
We
are
concerned
that
a
failure
to
work
with
us
to
help
these
children
join
their
adoptive
families
could
have
a
negative
impact
on
the
relationship
between
our
two
governments.”
The
letter
was
led
by
Senator
Todd
Young
(R-IN)
and
the
co-chairs
of
the
Senate’s
Adoption
Caucus,
Senators
Roy
Blunt
(R-MO)
and
Amy
Klobuchar
(D-MN),
as
well
as
Rep.
Trent
Franks
(R-AZ)
and
Rep.
Brenda
Lawrence
(D-MI).
The
full
text
of
the
letter
is
included
below
and signed
copy
can
be
accessed here.
Prime
Minister
Hailemariam
Desalegn,
We
write
to
express
concern
regarding
your
recent
decision
to
suspend
all
intercountry
adoptions
from
Ethiopia.
We
would
like
to
work
with
you
to
ensure
that
orphans
in
Ethiopia
have
the
opportunity
to
find
safe,
loving,
and
permanent
homes.
The
United
States’
relationship
with
the
Federal
Democratic
Republic
of
Ethiopia
is
founded
upon
economic
growth,
development,
regional
peace,
and
security.
The
United
States
and
Ethiopia
work
together
to
enhance
food
security,
improve
health
services,
strengthen
education,
promote
trade,
and
expand
development.
We
have
welcomed
Ethiopia's
commitment
to
security
in
the
region,
including
through
peacekeeping
missions
in
Somalia,
Sudan,
and
South
Sudan.
In
this
spirit
of
cooperation,
we
request
that
you
reconsider
your
April
21
decision
to
immediately
halt
all
adoption
processing,
including
cases
in
which
the
adoption
was
completed
in
the
Federal
First
Instance
Court.
Your
government’s
decision
to
suspend
international
adoptions
on
April
21,
2017,
has
left
more
than
200
U.S.
families,
and
as
many
Ethiopian
children,
in
a
difficult
and
heartbreaking
position.
While
we
respect
your
government’s
decisions
regarding
future
adoption
policy
in
Ethiopia,
we
ask
for
your
help
in
resolving
expeditiously
cases
that
were
already
underway
on
April
21.
We
are
concerned
that
a
failure
to
work
with
us
to
help
these
children
join
their
adoptive
families
could
have
a
negative
impact
on
the
relationship
between
our
two
governments.
The
cases
of
approximately
30
children
and
their
families
stand
out
as
particularly
troubling.
These
children’s
adoptions
were
completed
in
the
Federal
First
Instance
Court,
and
the
adoptive
parents
are
legally
responsible
for
the
children’s
well-being
under
your
country’s
laws.
However,
they
have
been
unable
to
obtain
the
necessary
paperwork
so
that
the
children
can
travel
home
to
the
United
States
to
join
their
families.
We
do
not
believe
the
adoptive
parents
have
received
from
your
government
legal
justification
for
these
delays,
which
have
detrimental
effects
on
the
children,
many
of
whom
have
had
to
return
to
orphanages.
We
share
your
government’s
concern
for
the
security
and
welfare
of
all
children,
and
that
is
why
we
ask
for
your
help
in
resolving
this
situation
without
delay.
In
many
cases,
children
and
families
have
already
initiated
the
emotional
bonding
and
attachment
process.
We
fear
breaking
these
attachments
by
delaying
these
adoptions
may
be
detrimental
to
the
children
and
adoptive
families
involved.
Our
constituents
want
to
provide
loving,
safe
families
to
those
in
need
and
simply
wish
to
bring
their
adopted
children
home
in
a
timely
fashion
and
in
accordance
with
the
law.
For
these
reasons,
we
ask
you
and
your
government
to
work
with
us
and
the
U.S.
Department
of
State
to
resolve
this
situation
without
delay.
Once
again,
we
respect
your
government’s
right
to
make
decisions
regarding
future
policy
on
international
adoptions.
However,
for
cases
already
underway
on
April
21,
we
ask
your
government
to
help
these
children
join
their
adoptive
parents
by
allowing
their
adoption
cases
to
continue
moving
forward.
Thank
you
for
your
immediate
attention
to
this
important
matter.
We
look
forward
to
working
with
the
Ethiopian
Government
to
unite
American
families
with
the
children
they
have
legally
adopted.
Sincerely,
### |