Pass the Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Targeting: The U.S. House

Started by: Ivy M

Democratic U.S. congressman Pete Stark of California introduced legislation on October 2009 that would prohibit states and child welfare agencies from restricting adoption or foster care placements based on the sexual orientation or marital status of potential parents.

Urge your Representatives to co-sponsor this vital federal legislation and speak out for human rights.

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest Gay Rights organization in America, still has not fully sponsored this federal bill. Urge them to by contacting them here.

Petition Text

Pass the Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Dear Representative

The Every Child Deserves a Family Act (H.R 3827) was introduced in U.S. Congress on October 2009 and was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. It is our hope that you will do the right thing and support this essential piece of legislation as a way to find more homes for children living in the welfare system.

H.R. 3827 would prohibit discrimination in adoption or foster care placements based on the sexual orientation, gender identification, or marital status of any prospective adoptive or foster parent. Utah, Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Mississippi all have laws that explicitly ban or restrict adoptions by same-sex parents, and a dozen or so more states are considering or have considered similar laws. In addition, the issue goes well beyond state laws and, in some cases, same-sex parent adoptions are denied or delayed by individual agencies, judges, or social workers.

Their are 25,000 kids who mature out of foster care every year and do not have adoptive or permanent homes to reside in. The results are a tragedy because these kids don't do better in their everyday lives when compared to the majority of kids who have good foster or adoptive care. More than 129,000 children are also waiting for an adoptive home or permanent placement, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Nearly all mainstream organizations that advocate for children, including the Child Welfare League of America, the American Psychological Association, and the American Bar Association all support adoption and foster parenting by qualified unmarried and gay and lesbian parents.

We commend Representative Fortney Stark (CA-13) for introducing this vital bill and those who valiantly cosponsor and support this legislation. We urge all members of Congress to support this long overdue legislation—and to reach out to other members of Congress.

When young lives never find a permanent family they can end up becoming homeless, finding themselves in the prison system, and/or suffer mental and substance abuse. Passing the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (H.R. 3827) is a step in the right direction towards righting this tremendous wrong we have committed against our youth through not taking decisive action sooner.

We hope you will think of the countless youth who need loving, responsible adults who can adopt them. Please, support and vote for the passage of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (H.R. 3827).

Respectfully,

[Your name]

Anneke Hut Amersfoort, Netherlands

Signed letter

Feb 08
Benjamin Watts Los Angeles, CA

Sent letter to Henry Waxman , Xavier Becerra and Diane Watson

Feb 07
Maria F. Verona, Italy

Signed letter

Feb 06
gwenn meltzer ridley park, PA

Sent letter to Joe Sestak

Jan 31
michele m san diego, CA

Sent letter to Susan Davis

Jan 27
Brandy Dalton Phoenix, AZ

Sent letter to Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva

Jan 19
Edward Miller Johns Creek, GA

Sent letter to Tom Price and John Linder

Jan 14
sara gaspar lisbon, Portugal

Signed letter

Jan 14
Susanne Tyler Kiel, Germany

Signed letter

Jan 08
Thomas Shelton Ringgold, GA

Sent letter to Nathan Deal

Jan 08