Peters Joins Congressional Coalition on Adoption

Bipartisan, Bicameral Caucus Raises Awareness of Children Without Families

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Foster Youth Caucus, today announced that he has joined the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA). The CCA is the largest bicameral and bipartisan caucus in Congress and aims to ensure that all children have the love and support of a permanent family and highlights issues pertaining to vulnerable children in need of permanent families.

“Every child deserves to know the love of a family, but unfortunately, thousands of children in Michigan and across the country are still awaiting adoption in foster care, and many of them may wait for years,” said Senator Peters. “I’m proud to join my colleagues to help shed light on the work that remains to be done so all children find the support of a loving, caring family.”

In Michigan alone, there were nearly 34,000 confirmed cases of child abuse and 15,000 children in the foster care system in 2013. Across the country, over 397,000 children live without families in the foster care system. Of those, nearly 102,000 are eligible for adoption, yet 32% of them will wait in foster care for over three years before being adopted.

Established in 1985, the CCA connects Congress directly with children and families to hear their stories of challenges and opportunities.

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