There is no doubt in my mind that the strength of our great nation is tied to the strength and stability of our families. From my discussions with many of you, I know that you believe that as well. The ties that bind our families together provide a nurturing environment for our children to grow and succeed. At a time when the number of foster children in Missouri alone tops 10,000 and the need for adoptive parents grows, I am committed to giving these children the opportunities they need to find a family.

As a strong believer in the right to life, our society must support the organizations that provide alternative options other than abortion to women who cannot provide for a child or who are not ready to be a mother. These organizations also support abandoned children who only want and need the opportunity to be part of a safe and loving family.  Of course, I’m speaking of our foster care and the adoption systems. 

Recently, I joined two congressional organizations – the Foster Youth Caucus and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption -- that focus on issues facing the foster and adoptions systems.

The Foster Youth Caucus works to protect and promote the welfare of all children in foster care and those who have “aged out” of the system.  It focuses on improving child welfare outcomes in safety, permanency, well-being, educational opportunities and youth, family and community engagement.  The Congressional Coalition on Adoption, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, is dedicated to raising awareness about the millions of children in need of permanent, safe and loving homes, and to eliminating the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic need of a family. Most recently, I signed onto House Resolution 433, the National Adoption Day Resolution that was supported by the Foster Youth Caucus.

I am hopeful that these efforts will raise awareness of issues surrounding our foster care system, including better screening and recruitment of foster parents; sensitivity when addressing foster youth’s past and particular circumstances; the increased number of youth who are never reunited with their family or placed in another permanent arrangement; and ensuring families and organizations have the resources to ensure good physical and mental health of foster youth.  I look forward to working with my colleagues who are a part of the Foster Youth Caucus and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption to address these challenges and to create the smoothest possible transition for children into loving homes. Investments in our foster care and adoption systems are a moral imperative. They offer an alternative to abortion and provide the opportunity for life for thousands of children who deserve the love of a nurturing and caring family. We must all focus more of our time and energy to ensure the survival and continued advancement of these systems in order to protect this nation’s children and promote the idea that every child has a right to life.