OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Letter to Joseph Kabila Kabange, President, and Augustin Matata Ponyo, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo - End Delays in US Adoptions from Democratic Republic of Congo

Letter

By: John Thune, Chuck Grassley, Roy Blunt, Rob Portman, Ted Cruz, Mike Enzi, Dianne Feinstein, John Walsh, John Boozman, Amy Klobuchar, Richard Blumenthal, Ann Wagner, Adam Schiff, Reid Ribble, Andy Barr, Mike Pompeo, Tim Huelskamp, George Holding, Joyce Beatty, Lee Terry, Donald Young, Alcee Hastings, Sr., John Tierney, Alan Grayson, Bill Huizenga, Earl Blumenauer, Jim Jordan, Gary Peters, Dave Camp, Pat Tiberi, Pete Sessions, Mike McIntyre, Sandy Levin, Tom Petri, David Vitter, Timothy Johnson, Claire McCaskill, Richard Burr, Jerry Moran, John Cornyn, Jack Reed, Jon Tester, Mark Pryor, Maria Cantwell, Al Franken, Mike Johanns, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Begich, Chris Murphy, Bob Casey, Jr., Patrick McHenry, Jim McDermott, Steve Womack, Tom Latham, Trent Franks, John Kline, Steve Daines, Steve Stockman, Gerry Connolly, Stephen Fincher, John Shimkus, Charlie Rangel, Andy Harris, John Duncan, Jr., Jim Matheson, Jim Moran, Jr., Jason Smith, Lloyd Doggett II, Lynn Westmoreland, Mary Landrieu, Thomas Coburn, Elizabeth Warren, Pat Roberts, Debbie Stabenow, John Barrasso, Barbara Boxer, Dan Coats, Patty Murray, Mark Kirk, Deb Fischer, Mark Warner, Mark Udall, Ron Johnson, André Carson, Adam Smith, Tom Graves, Jr., John Larson, Steve Israel, Hal Rogers, Jim Cooper, Michael McCaul, Julia Brownley, Duncan Hunter, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Ed Royce, Kevin Brady, Bill Flores, Eddie Johnson, Marlin Stutzman, Randy Neugebauer, Mike Honda, Stephen Lynch, Steve King, Suzan DelBene, Carol Shea-Porter, Joe Garcia, Chris Smith, Jeff Miller, Mark Meadows, Robert Corker, Jim Inhofe, Tom Harkin, Ed Markey, Kay Hagan, Sherrod Brown, Rand Paul, Carl Levin, Joe Donnelly, Sr., Lamar Alexander, Kirsten Gillibrand, Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Manchin III, Lisa Murkowski, Tammy Baldwin, Marco Rubio, Saxby Chambliss, Collin Peterson, Sam Farr, Robert Aderholt, Jim Renacci, Roger Williams, Mike Simpson, Bruce Braley, Dave Loebsack, Spencer Bachus, Todd Rokita, John Conyers, Jr., Kenny Marchant, George Miller, John Fleming, Jr., John Dingell, Lamar Smith, Marc Veasey, Peter DeFazio, Tim Walberg, Blake Farenthold, Annie Kuster, Walter Jones, Jr., Hank Johnson, Jr., Diane Black, Henry Waxman, Todd Young, Michele Bachmann, Sam Graves, Suzanne Bonamici, Steve Cohen, Vicky Hartzler, Peter Roskam, James Lankford, Ted Poe, Tom Cotton, Chuck Fleischmann, Tim Griffin, Karen Bass, Susan Brooks, Lacy Clay, Jr., Pete Olson, Doug Lamborn, Scott Rigell, Sheila Jackson Lee
Date: April 18, 2014
Issues: Foreign Affairs Family

Dear President Kabila and Prime Minister Matata Ponyo:

The United States of America values its good relationship with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is proud to have provided assistance to your government as you continue to confront ongoing challenges. Please know that the people of the United States remain steadfast in their respect for and commitment to the people of the DRC. It is in this spirit of goodwill and respect that we, the undersigned Members of the United States Congress, write to ask for your help in resolving the over 460 adoption cases of Congolese children who either have been adopted or are in the process of being adopted by American families, yet who are unable to obtain exit permits due to a recent DRC suspension.

We understand that your Government has elected to suspend the issuance of exit letters due to concerns about the health and wellbeing of adopted children. We respect DRC's right, and indeed your obligation to ensure that international adoptions of Congolese children are conducted with integrity, transparency and the highest of ethics. As U.S. lawmakers, we share your desire to see that all children living in the United States, including those born in the DRC, are safe and secure. To this end, we would like to offer to support your government in its efforts to ensure that adopted Congolese children are safe and well-cared for and that future intercountry adoptions between our countries continue to be conducted in an ethical, transparent manner.

While we work together to ensure that all Congolese children are protected, we hope you will consider allowing the hundreds of American families who have legally completed the adoption process to move forward. The unexpected delay in the completion of these adoptions has resulted in over 460 children continuing to languish in institutions without the care of a permanent family. As you know, long-term institutionalization has been proven to lead to neurological and emotional difficulties in children, as the lack of parental bonding damages brain development and a child's ability to form meaningful relationships with others.

In addition to the consequences for children, this suspension is also placing a substantial burden on the adoptive families. Approximately 50 of the 460 pending adoption cases are fully finalized approved by Congolese courts, the Ministry of Gender and Family, and the United States Embassy in Kinshasa. The General Direction of Migration (DGM) has promised to consider applications for exit letters for completed adoption cases that had been approved by the Ministry of Gender and Family's Interministerial Adoption Committee before September 25, 2013. A number of families meeting that criterion are relying on the DGM's commitment to process their applications for exit permits. It is of great concern to us that these applications be completed as expeditiously as possible. Many of these American families remain in Kinshasa, jeopardizing their careers and creating great financial difficulties. These families remain committed to the children they are adopting and desire to complete the process and return to the United States to raise these children in loving, caring homes.

More specifically, we respectfully request consideration of the following:

1. Allow for the expedited processing to completion of pending adoptions of children whose health is at risk.

2. Recommence exit permit issuance for families approved by the Ministry of Gender and Family's Intenninisterial Adoption Committee prior to September 25, 2013.

3. Provide the families who have finalized adoptions on or after September 25, 2013 with a means for obtaining exit permits.

We thank you for your immediate attention to this important matter. We look forward to working with your Government to ensure both the continuation of international adoptions and the strengthening of our international adoption process. The children involved deserve nothing less.


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