Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) has been an advocate and supporter of adoption throughout his time in the Senate. He serves on the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and served as its co-chair from 2009-2014. He is also the proud grandfather of a granddaughter who was adopted from Ethiopia. He has nominated many families and individuals for the Angels in Adoption award and has welcomed a number of these awardees to Washington to honor them.
Pre-Senate
1989: Cosponsored H.J.Res.278 – A resolution to designate the week of November 20, 1989 as “National Adoption Week.” This bipartisan resolution became public law on November 21, 1989.
1992: Cosponsored H.J.Res.388 – A resolution designating the month of May 1992 as “National Foster Care Month.” This bipartisan resolution became public law on May 19, 1992.
Timeline of Senator Inhofe’s Accomplishments for Adoption
During his tenure in the Senate, Inhofe had many achievements for adoption. His key accomplishments include:
1999
Cosponsored S.1485 – Adopted Orphans Citizenship Act: Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the acquisition of U.S. citizenship by certain foreign-born children adopted by a U.S. citizen parent or parents. The Act was introduced on August 4, 1999 and passed the Senate on October 26, 1999.
2002
Cosponsored S.Res.199: A resolution honoring the life of Rex David “Dave” Thomas, recognizing that America had lost one of its most dedicated and hardest working advocates for adoption. It expresses the Senate’s deep and heartfelt condolences to the family of Dave Thomas on their loss.
Cosponsored S.2643: A bill to repeal the sunset of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 with respect to the expansion of the adoption credit and adoption assistance programs, thereby helping families in their journeys of adoption.
2003
Cosponsored S.1686 – Adoption Promotion Act of 2003: A bill that reauthorizes the adoption incentive payments program which provides incentives to states that increase adoptions from year to year. The bill became Public Law 108-145 on December 12, 2003.
Cosponsored S.1931: A bill that would repeal the sunset of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 with respect to the expansion of the adoption credit and adoption assistance programs, thereby helping families in their adoption journeys.
Cosponsored S.1934 – Intercountry Adoption Reform Act of 2003: A bill that establishes an Office of Intercountry Adoptions within the Department of State and requires the president to appoint an Ambassador at Large to head the office. Consolidates functions of different agencies dealing with adoption into the new Office, and makes other reforms to improve the intercountry adoption process.
2004
Cosponsored S.3031 – Intercountry Adoption Reform Act of 2004: An updated version of the Intercountry Adoption Reform Act of 2003 which includes certain changes from Joint Council on International Children’s Services and other adoption advocates and professionals. The bill would create an Office of Intercountry Adoptions within the Department of State and requires the president to appoint an Ambassador at Large to head the office, among other reforms.
Cosponsored S.2128 – Natural Born Citizen Act: A bill that would define the constitutional term “natural born citizen” to include any person under 18 who is born outside the United States and adopted by U.S. citizen parents who are otherwise eligible to transmit citizenship.
Cosponsored S.Res.474: A resolution to express support for the goals of National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
2005
Sponsored S.1894 – Fair Access Foster Care Act of 2005: A bill that would allow all therapeutic foster care agencies to receive federal funding from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and became Public Law on November 22, 2005.
Cosponsored S.246 – Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act: A bill that exempts provisions expanding the adoption tax credit and adoption assistance programs enacted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 from the provisions of that Act which sunset.
Cosponsored S.609 – Prenatally Diagnosed Condition Awareness Act: Among other provisions, this bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to authorize grants, contracts or cooperative agreements to increase the availability of resources for individuals and families affected by Down syndrome or other prenatally diagnosed conditions. These services would include the availability of a registry of families willing to adopt children affected by prenatally diagnosed conditions, like Down syndrome.
2006
Angels in Adoption: Sen. Inhofe welcomed Angels in Adoption nominee Michael Nomura of Tulsa to Washington, D.C. for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual “Angel in Adoption Gala.” Michael serves as the president of the Oklahoma Adoption Coalition and formerly served as the director of two Oklahoma residential facilities for children: the Baptist Children’s Home and the Sand Springs Home. Additionally, Michael was the co-director and founder of Heritage Family Services in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which provides adoption services such as home studies and placements for adoptive families and counseling for birth parents.
Cosponsored S.Res.359: A resolution concerning the Government of Romania’s ban on intercountry adoptions and the welfare of orphaned or abandoned children in Romania.
2007
Angels in Adoption: Sen. Inhofe welcomed Angels in Adoption nominees Steve and Lana Freeman of Newcastle, Oklahoma to Washington, D.C. for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual “Angels in Adoption Gala.” Steve and Lana Freeman of Newcastle, Oklahoma adopted six children—all of whom they fostered prior to their adoptions—and have two biological children. Since 1984, the Freemans have fostered over 200 children.
Cosponsored S.Res.384: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Cosponsored S.561 – Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act: A bill that exempts provisions expanding the adoption tax credit and adoption assistance programs enacted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 from the provisions of that Act which sunset.
2008
Sen. Inhofe joined Sens. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and nineteen other senators in sending a letter urging the Senate Budget Committee to include a provision making the 2001 adoption tax credit permanent in the conference report on the budget resolution. This provision would allow Americans who adopt a child to continue receiving a credit in the amount of their qualified expenses and would guarantee the maximum $10,000 credit for those who adopt children with special needs.
Angels in Adoption: Sen. Inhofe welcomed Tulsa residents Rick and Kathy Clarke as Angels in Adoption nominees to Washington D.C. as they attended the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual “Angels in Adoption Gala”. Rick and Kathy were honored as Angels in Adoption during the annual gala. The Clarkes have personally participated in the adoption process for 13 years and have adopted nine children. Throughout those years, the Clarke family has faced hardships and obstacles, yet they continued to grow as a family, both in number and character.
Cosponsored S.Amdt.4307: A resolution to make the 2001 adoption tax credit permanent that passed the Senate unanimously during the consideration of the budget resolution.
Cosponsored S.Res.675: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
2009
Sen. Inhofe joined the Congressional Coalition on Adoption as co-chair along with Sen. Landrieu (D-La.): As co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, Sen. Inhofe cosponsored S.Res.291 which expresses support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month, November, by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children. The bill passed the Senate November 3, 2009 with 36 cosponsors.
Angels in Adoption: Sen. Inhofe welcomed Angels in Adoption nominees Duane and Cathy Shipman of Edmond, Oklahoma to D.C. to celebrate their nomination for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual “Angels in Adoption” award. Over the past 17 years, Duane and Cathy have fostered over 65 children, from newborns to 11-year-olds. In addition to fostering several children, the Shipmans adopted a beautiful young girl who they had fostered since she was three weeks old.
Cosponsored S.1458 – Families for Orphans Act: A bill aimed to better coordinate efforts on behalf of orphaned children. The legislation would put in place a system to eradicate the unnecessary duplication of efforts in order to more efficiently meet the needs of orphaned children.
Cosponsored S.1376 – International Adoption Simplification Act: A bill that would restore immunization and sibling age exemptions for children adopted by United States citizens under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption to allow their admission to the United States. The legislation allows U.S. parents adopting a foreign-born child to bring the child to the U.S. for immunizations. It also allows U.S. parents to adopt multiple children who are siblings, even if one of the children is between 16 and 18. The measure was passed in November 2010, becoming part of Public Law 111-287.
Cosponsored S.2816 – Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act: A bill that exempts provisions expanding the adoption tax credit and adoption assistance programs enacted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 from the provisions of that Act which sunset.
Cosponsored S.1359 – Equality for Adopted Children Act: A bill that would streamline the international adoption process so that a child adopted by a U.S. parent becomes a citizen of the U.S. at the point of full and final adoption.
Cosponsored S.Res.533: A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system and encouraging Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system.
Cosponsored S.Res.291: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Sen. Inhofe wrote a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on March 17, 2009 urging her to increase the dialogue with the Government of Romania and advocate for the reopening of inter-country adoptions between the United States and Romania.
2010
Cosponsored S.3411 – Help HAITI Act of 2010: Through Sen. Inhofe’s leadership, Haitian orphans received the assistance and care they needed following the earthquakes that devastated Haiti. The Help HAITI Act of 2010 allowed the Department of Homeland Security to authorize the use of humanitarian parole for orphaned Haitian children on an individual basis. It also applied to children who have been legally confirmed as orphans and have already established adoptive relationships with U.S. adoptive families. The bill was enacted on December 9, 2010 as Public Law 111-293.
Following the enactment of the Help HAITI Act of 2010, Sen. Inhofe sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, requesting that the agency take the necessary steps to immediately implement the new law.
Sponsored S.Res.647: A resolution expressing the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting awareness of adoption and children currently awaiting families. The resolution also celebrates the children and families involved in adoption while encouraging Americans to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children. The resolution passed the Senate on November 18, 2010.
Cosponsored S.Res.519: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the primary safeguard for the well-being and protection of children is the family.
As co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, Sen. Inhofe sent a letter on January 15th to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requesting that the State Department consider the needs of the previously and newly orphaned children as a principal concern in the wake of the devastation in Haiti. Following the delivery of the letter, on Tuesday, January 19th, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, announced a humanitarian parole policy allowing orphaned children from Haiti to enter the United States temporarily on an individual basis to ensure that they receive the care they need.
Sen. Inhofe was one of 50 signatories to a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Secretary of State Clinton, Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Director Shah, calling for an efficient immigration process for these children and for clearer direction for U.S. citizens in the process of adopting Haitian orphans following the earthquake in Haiti.
Inhofe and Landrieu wrote to their fellow senators on March 29, 2010 encouraging the cosponsorship of the Families for Orphans Act, S.1458. The bill provides the Department of States with the authority to be proactive in addressing the global orphan crisis.
2011
Cosponsored S.Res.203: A resolution recognizing “National Foster Care Month” as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system, and encouraging Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system. It passed the Senate on May 26, 2011.
Cosponsored S.Res.302: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children. The resolution passed the Senate on November 16, 2011.
Sen. Inhofe wrote an op-ed on adoption in the McAlester News-Capital on November 10, 2011 explaining the adoption story of his granddaughter and how it led him to be a champion of adoption in the U.S. Senate. He wrote to encourage Americans to take responsibility for the over 408,000 orphans in U.S. foster care and to honor National Adoption Day on November 19th.
2012
Cosponsored S.3321 – Protecting Adoption and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2012: Introduced alongside Sen. Landrieu to establish a National Responsible Father Registry so adoption agencies/attorneys can look up fathers before proceeding with the adoption. A dad who registers to maintain parental rights over his child must be notified of the potential adoption. This would help prevent contested adoptions and mirrors a program in 34 states, including Oklahoma.
Cosponsored S.3331 – Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012: Accreditation provides an additional safeguard against corrupt practices and fraudulent adoptions and it applies U.S. adoption accreditation standards to international adoptions so that American families can have the peace of mind that they are involved in legitimate international adoptions. It passed the Senate on December 5, 2012 and was signed by the resident on January 14, 2013, becoming Public Law 112-276.
Cosponsored S.3665 – Foster Youth Higher Education Opportunities Act: A bill that directs the Department of Education to inform students who indicate on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form that they are or were in the foster care system of their potential eligibility for federal student aid, including the specific federal programs under which they may be eligible for assistance.
Cosponsored S.Res.378: A resolution declaring that it is the policy of the U.S. Senate to promote stability and permanency for children through adoption. It was passed in the Senate on December 15, 2012.
Cosponsored S.Res.462: A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by children in the foster care system. It passed the Senate on June 4, 2012.
Cosponsored S.Res.595: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families. It was passed in the Senate on December 5, 2012.
Sen. Inhofe joined a bipartisan group of 15 senators on December 21, 2012, requesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin not suspend U.S. adoption of Russian orphans and asked he veto legislation in the Russian Duma.
S.Res.628: Introduced legislation condemning the Russian suspension of U.S. adoption of Russian orphans and vetoed legislation in the Russian Duma. It was passed in the U.S. Senate on January 1, 2013.
2013
Angels in Adoption: Sen. Inhofe congratulated Kate C. Arnold, M.D. as an Angels in Adoption awardee for her advocacy of adoption and foster care issues. Dr. Arnold adopted three children as a single mom while also finishing medical school and beginning a residency program in OBGYN at the University of Oklahoma.
Cosponsored S.1056 – Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2013: A bill that amends the Internal Revenue Code to make the tax credit for adoption expenses refundable.
Cosponsored S.1203 – Protecting Adoption and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2013: A bill that would create an automated National Responsible Father Registry in the Department of Health and Human Services and gives men the ability to register identifying information with the Registry, establishes a nationwide campaign to inform possible fathers, unwed mothers, possible adoptive parents and eligible parties of the National Registry, encourages states to establish similar registries and authorizes a grant to establish state registries.
Cosponsored S.1530 – Children in Families First Act of 2013: A bill that would realign U.S. foreign assistance to foreign countries by prioritizing children growing up in families; focus on protecting children by preserving, reunifying or creating families through kinship, domestic and international adoption and strengthen procedures to prevent abuse of children without families.
Cosponsored S.1614 – Accuracy for Adoptees Act: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require that a certificate of citizenship or other federal document issues reflect the child’s name and date of birth as indicated on a state court order, birth certificate, certificate of foreign birth, certificate of birth abroad or similar state vital records document issued by the child’s U.S. state of residence after the child has been adopted or readopted in that state. This bill was signed into law on January 16, 2014 as Public Law 113-74.
Cosponsored S.Res.294: Cosponsored a resolution for National Adoption Day and Month. Sen. Inhofe introduced the resolution alongside Sen. Landrieu (D-La.). It passed the Senate on November 13, 2013.
Sen. Inhofe led an initiative with 16 other members of Congress requesting that Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan implement a system within the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program to better notify foster youth of the federal funds that may be available to support their pursuit of higher education.
2014
Angels in Adoption: In 2014, Sen. Inhofe welcomed Angels in Adoption nominee Shelley Cadamy to Washington, D.C. for the annual Angels in Adoption gala. Shelley opened her heart and home to three children who had once been in the foster care system. Shelley is not only an anchor for her kids, but a resource and guide through her personal blog for those in and beyond Oklahoma interested in adopting from the foster care system.
Cosponsored S.2475 – Children in Families First Act of 2014: A bill to establish an Office within the Department of State to support child welfare laws and policies to promote permanent family care for children without families in foreign countries.
Cosponsored S.2570 – Tribal Adoption Parity Act: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow Indian tribes to make the determination that a child has special needs for the purposes of the adoption tax credit.
Cosponsored S.2706 – Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2014: A bill to prohibit the Federal Government from discriminating or taking an adverse action against a child welfare service provider that declines to provide, facilitate or refer a child welfare service that conflicts with the provider’s sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.
Cosponsored S.Res.456: A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system and encouraging Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system. The resolution passed the Senate on May 22, 2014.
Cosponsored S.Res.502: A resolution affirming that all children deserve a safe and loving home and expressing concern over the impact on children and families caused by the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s suspension of adoptions. The resolution requests the DRC to resume processing adoptions.
Cosponsored S.Res.580: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
2015
Sponsored S.Res.155: A resolution that designates May 2, 2015, as a Day of Recognition for Ebola Orphans, to promote awareness of the children of West Africa orphaned by the 2014 Ebola outbreak. It also encouraged the people of the United States to consider the needs of the children in West Africa who were orphaned by Ebola.
Supported Orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo: In 2015, Sen. Inhofe addressed the ongoing challenges facing families trying to adopt orphans out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Intercountry adoptions from the DRC had been stalled for years because of domestic policies within the country. To address this, Inhofe joined several of his colleagues and sent a letter on July 31st to the DRC president and ambassador regarding the issuance of exit permits for legally adopted children. To assist U.S. families attempting to adopt from the DRC, the Senate passed S. 1300, which waived visa renewal fees for children who are being adopted but whose original visas had expired because of delays in the adoption proceedings. S. 1300 – which Sen. Inhofe cosponsored – was enacted into law on Oct. 16th, and became Public Law 114-70.
Cosponsored S.Res.315: A resolution expressing support for the goals of both National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Cosponsored S.667 – Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2015: A bill that would allow child welfare charities to operate without fear of discrimination based on religious beliefs. For decades, adoption and foster care providers – secular, government-operated and faith-based – have worked side-by-side to serve infants, expectant mothers, adoptive and foster families, children, teens and families in need of help. Unfortunately, some states prevent faith-based organizations from providing welfare services because of their religious beliefs.
Cosponsored S.835 – Tribal Adoption Parity Act: A bill that would allow Indian tribal governments to determine whether a child has special needs for the purposes of the adoption tax credit.
Cosponsored S.950 – Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act: A bill that would make the current adoption tax credit fully refundable. The adoption tax credit was made permanent in the American Taxpayer Relief Act in January, 2013. That law did not extend the refundability provisions that applied to the adoption tax credit in 2010 and 2011. The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act would restore the refundable portion of this support to families considering adopting.
Sponsored S.1637 – Protecting Adoption and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2015: Sen. Inhofe introduced this bill to create a federal Responsible Father Registry ensuring that fathers who submit their information to the registry will be notified if court proceedings regarding the adoption of their child occur. This legislation built on state-based registries that exist in 33 states, including Oklahoma, to ensure participating states are able to share information with one another. This bill would also protect the parental rights of responsible fathers who may be interested in raising their own children as opposed to seeing them adopted.
Sen. Inhofe wrote an op-ed in the Tulsa World on December 2, 2015, encouraging Americans to extend the blessings of adoption to more children. He drew attention to the 400,000 children who need a loving family and a place to call home.
2016
Protecting Adoption Process: On July 7, 2016, Sen. Inhofe joined a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson expressing concern about proposed increases to certain immigration and naturalization fees affecting intercountry adoptions and their impact on the ability of children to be placed in loving homes as a result. The adoption process is already an expensive undertaking that deters many from pursuing it.
Cosponsored S.Res.622: A resolution expressing support for the goals of both National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Angels in Adoption: In September, Inhofe welcomed Johnny and Heather Gibson of Guthrie, Oklahoma as they were recognized as Angels in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). As of 2016, they had adopted eight children from foster care, including a sibling set of three and another sibling set of four, while Johnny was a full-time firefighter for the City of Edmond and Heather worked for a local insurance agency.
2017
Cosponsored S.Res.331: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Cosponsored S.811 – Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act: A bill that would allow child welfare charities to operate without fear of discrimination based on religious beliefs. For decades, adoption and foster care providers – secular, government-operated and faith-based – have worked side-by-side to serve infants, expectant mothers, adoptive and foster families, children teens and families in need of help. Unfortunately, some states prevent faith-based organizations from providing welfare services because of their religious beliefs.
Cosponsored S.876 – Tribal Adoption Parity Act: A bill that would allow Indian tribal governments to determine whether a child has special needs for the purposes of the adoption tax credit.
Cosponsored S.937 – Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2017: A bill that would make the current adoption tax credit fully refundable. The adoption tax credit was made permanent in the American Taxpayer Relief Act in January 2013. That law did not extend the refundability provisions that applied to the adoption tax credit in 2010 and 2011. The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act would restore the refundable portion of this support to families considering adopting.
Angels in Adoption: In 2017, Inhofe welcomed Poteau residents Jody and Jeannie Thompson and their family to Washington as they were honored with the Angels in Adoption award by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. Jody Thompson, an officer in the Poteau Police Department, wasn’t even on duty when he responded to a call of child abuse in 2015. Jody and Jeannie adopted John that year, where he joined their three children, and shortly thereafter, the Thompsons were also able to adopt John’s biological sister, Paizley, growing their family to seven. Their remarkable story shows the blessings and joy of providing for those most in need of a family.
Cosponsored S.1178 – Vulnerable Children and Families Act of 2017: A bill that would re-designate the Office of Children’s issues of Department of State as the Office of Vulnerable Children and Family Security (VCFS) and thereby ensure implementation of child welfare laws and policies in foreign countries while being the lead authority representing the U.S. regarding intercountry adoptions.
Agreement to Finalize Pending Ethiopian Adoptions: On April 21, 2017, the Ethiopian government announced its intent to suspend all foreign adoptions. This suspension put all pending adoptions in jeopardy, including over 150 children who had already been legally matched with American families. In October 2017, Sen. Inhofe traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and met personally with then-Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, urging the country to follow through with all pending American adoptions despite the overall ban. Because of Sen. Inhofe’s longstanding friendship with the Prime Minister, Hailemariam agreed to allow the pending American adoptions to proceed without hindrance. His efforts were successful and many American families were united with their adopted children. Sen. Inhofe’s relationship with Ethiopian leaders has always been based on trust and Hailemariam kept his word to the senator.
2018
Cosponsored S.Res.704: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Cosponsored S.3396 – Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee Act of 2018: A bill that would provide the Secretary of State authority to establish an Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee within the Bureau of Consular Affairs tasked with advising the Secretary on development and implementation of policy programs on intercountry adoption.
Angles in Adoption: Inhofe recognized McAlester residents Lloyd and Kelli Belt with the Angels in Adoption award by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. The Belt family was chosen for their courageous adoption journey involving an Ethiopian-born girl, Addi May. The Belt’s began their adoption process in 2011, but due to the complicated and political barriers to intercountry adoption, were not able to bring her home until 2017.
2019
Cosponsored S.274 – Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act: A bill that would allow child welfare charities to operate without fear of discrimination based on religious beliefs. For decades, adoption and foster care providers – secular, government-operated and faith-based – have worked side-by-side to serve infants, expectant mothers, adoptive and foster families, children, teens and families in need of help. Unfortunately, some states prevent faith-based organizations from providing welfare services because of their religious beliefs.
Cosponsored S.363 – Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee Act: A bill that would provide the Secretary of State authority to establish an Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee within the Bureau of Consular Affairs tasked with advising the Secretary on development and implementation of policy programs on intercountry adoption.
Cosponsored S.1652 – Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2019: A bill that would make the current adoption tax credit fully refundable. The adoption tax credit was made permanent in the American Taxpayer Relief Act in January 2013. That law did not extend the refundability provisions that applied to the adoption tax credit in 2010 and 2011. The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act would restore the refundable portion of this support to families considering adopting.
Cosponsored S.Res.438 – National Adoption Month Resolution: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Month and National Adoption Day by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children waiting for adoption, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Angels in Adoption: Inhofe recognized Rocky and Samantha Ausbrooks from Beggs, Oklahoma and their three children to Washington for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual Angels in Adoption Program. Sen. Inhofe was proud to work with the Ausbrooks to help successfully complete their son Tesfaye’s adoption after Ethiopia halted international adoptions in 2017.
2020
Cosponsored S.Res.598: A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system, and encouraging Congress to implement policies to improve the lives of children in the foster care system.
Cosponsored S.Res.603: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that state agencies and other providers of foster care services should make every effort to ensure that siblings remain together in the foster care system.
Cosponsored S.Res.787: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Month and National Adoption Day by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children waiting for adoption, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
Supported Adoptive Children in China: On March 28, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, China issued a ban on virtually all foreign entry, leaving approximately 200-300 American families with pending adoptions unable to travel to China to complete their adoptions. Sen. Inhofe signed a bipartisan letter to the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai requesting the Chinese government to consider granting prospective adoptive parents an exception to entry restrictions into China – while maintaining appropriate testing and quarantine requirements – so that adopted children could be united with their adoptive families.
Supporting Foster Care Through Church-Based Organizations: During National Foster Care Month (June 2020), Sen. Inhofe wrote an op-ed in the Cushing Citizen shining a spotlight on the blessing of fostering or adopting children and the challenges faith-based organizations face in their efforts to help children. In particular, Sen. Inhofe highlighted the case Fulton v. Philadelphia, a case the Supreme Court would be hearing in fall 2020 regarding the rights of faith-based organizations to act in accordance with their religious beliefs.
Intercountry Adoption Accreditation: In October 2020, Sen. Inhofe signed a letter to the Department of State (DOS) regarding its search for new accrediting entities to serve as intercountry adoption service providers. The letter requested that the DOS consider the burden of high accreditation fees on service providers, and the downstream impact of these fees on adoptive families, as the DOS worked to select new entities to become accreditors. Additionally, the letter requested that the DOS answer multiple questions related to its approval of new, burdensome regulatory protocol for service providers.
National Adoption Month: Angels in Adoption through the Years – Sen. Inhofe published an op-ed in the Guthrie News Leader highlighting some of the wonderful families with whom he had crossed paths over the years through the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angels in Adoption Program. Sen. Inhofe was also able to virtually congratulate the Bay family from Woodward, Oklahoma on being selected as a 2020 Angels in Adoption Honoree. The Bays were also affected by Ethiopia’s halting of international adoptions in 2017. Sen. Inhofe was thankful to have had the opportunity to help them complete their daughter Sawyer’s adoption in 2017 and then talk and pray together in 2020.
2021
Cosponsored S.117 – Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee Act: A bill that would provide the Secretary of State authority to establish an Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee within the Bureau of Consular Affairs tasked with advising the Secretary on development and implementation of policy programs on intercountry adoption.
Cosponsored S.656 – Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act: A bill that would allow child welfare charities to operate without fear of discrimination based on religious beliefs. For decades, adoption and foster care providers – secular, government-operated and faith-based – have worked side-by-side to serve infants, expectant mothers, adoptive and foster families, children, teens and families in need of help. Unfortunately, some states prevent faith-based organizations from providing welfare services because of their religious beliefs.
Cosponsored S.1156 – the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2021: To make the current adoption tax credit fully refundable. The adoption tax credit was made permanent in the American Taxpayer Relief Act in January 2013. That law did not extend the refundability provisions that applied to the adoption tax credit in 2010 and 2011. The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act would restore the refundable portion of this support to families considering adopting.
Angels in Adoption: Inhofe recognized McCloud, Oklahoma residents David and KC Koonce and their family for receiving the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angels in Adoption award. Over the course of four years, the Koonce family had adopted three children and fostered 19 children, all the while seeking to keep siblings together throughout their journey in the foster care system.
Fulton v. Philadelphia: After a multi-year court battle in Fulton v. Philadelphia, faith-based foster agency Catholic Social Services (CSS) secured a victory at the Supreme Court after the Supreme Court ruled to allow CSS to operate in accordance with its sincerely held religious beliefs. In 2018, the city of Philadelphia – where CSS is located – stopped placing children with CSS due to CSS’s beliefs regarding marriage. Sen. Inhofe signed multiple amicus briefs in this case in support of CSS and was also a multi-year cosponsor of the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, to address this issue by ensuring faith-based child welfare providers can operate in accordance with their religious beliefs. Sen. Inhofe was grateful to see the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in favor of CSS and the many foster families it served.
Cosponsored S.Res.464: A resolution expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Month and National Adoption Day by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children waiting for adoption, celebrating children and families involved in adoption and encouraging the people of the United States to secure safety, permanency and well-being for all children.
2022
Angels in Adoption: Sen. Inhofe congratulated Edmond resident Sarah Tippit for receiving the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angels in Adoption award. Sarah Tippit was initially exposed to the foster care system through her friendship with a family with foster kids. That family’s friendship and example inspired Sarah to begin fostering children on her own, beginning in 2018. Over the course of her fostering and adoption story, she has fostered six kids and adopted three, all the while making an incredible impact in the lives of these vulnerable children.