2000 Angels in Adoption

Text From the Congressional Record

Landrieu, Mary [D-LA]

Begin 2000-09-27 14:32:46

End 14:36:24

Length 00:03:38

Ms. LANDRIEU. The Senator has made some wonderful suggestions as to what we all can do to celebrate Adoption Month, which is November, whether you have adopted children or perhaps adopted grandchildren; perhaps you yourself were adopted and you know someone, a neighbor, who has built a family through adoption. It is life affirming.

This is what we can all agree on, whether you are conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican. It is an endeavor where we believe our Nation can step forward; we can do a better job of making sure that every child has a family to call their own. That is what this is about.

The Senator mentioned the Hague Treaty on Intercountry Adoption. I would be remiss if I did not thank publicly the chairman of that committee, Senator JESSE HELMS, and our ranking member, Senator JOE BIDEN. There are many treaties sitting on shelves, waiting to be acted on by this Senate. There are literally, to my understanding, hundreds. But this chairman, even with a busy schedule, with many demands about taking up a treaty on other international issues, brought forth

a treaty for intercountry adoption.

It is going to be and is already a historic milestone so that the United States can continue to lead, to say that there should be no barriers to adoption.

We would love all children to stay with the parents to whom they were born or the parent or the family to stay within the country where they were born. But if we can't find a home for them in that country or in that community, we should not leave children in institutions or orphanages or, for Heaven's sake, living on the street by themselves in boxes and boxcars. We should do everything we can.

This treaty will help us to do just that. It will help the governments of the world to shape laws and policies, minimize costs, stamp out corruption, and help us to have a system where we can all feel good about our work to bring help to these children. It will be done with the governments, in partnership with the nonprofit organizations, churches, faith-based organizations, and individuals throughout the world. It is quite exciting.

Perhaps, because there are other Senators on the floor who may want to speak, we could submit the names of our 120 Angels into the RECORD. I know the Senator probably will want to at least mention his Idaho Angel.

I will mention our Louisiana Angel. I was proud to present, with Congressman DAVID VITTER, the award last night to Judith Legett from the New Orleans area, and Sister Rosario O'Connell from the Houma area. Both are doing extraordinary work. The sister, with her other sisters, originally from Ireland but now long-time residents of Louisiana, are taking care of approximately 22 abused and neglected children, helping them to move through that system and find permanent homes. Mrs. Legett has

been an outstanding spokesperson in our State.

I thank the Senator for the time and thank Chairman HELMS for his great leadership in intercountry adoption and thank the Senators for their vote on that earlier this year.

I ask unanimous consent to print in the RECORD the list of Angels in Adoption 2000 Awardees.

There being no objection, the list was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

Congressional Coalition on Adoption--Angels in Adoption 2000 Awardees

NATIONAL ANGEL IN ADOPTION AWARDEES

The Honorable Tom Bliley

Children's Action Network

Gail and Larry Cole

Lynette Cole

CONGRESSIONAL COALITION ON ADOPTION ANGEL IN ADOPTION AWARDEES

Alabama: John Hamilton Carr, Judith Smith Crane, and Anne Forgey.

Alaska: Dawn Crombie.

Arizona: Barbara and Samuel Aubrey, John A. Oliver, and Lori Vandagriff.

Arkansas: Curtis and Margaret Blake and Connie Fails.

California: Dr. Frank Alderette and Delia Morales, Hillview Acres Children's Home and Foster Family Agency, Mark and Sylvia Olvera, Walden Family Services, and Nancy Wang.

Colorado: Clem and Florence Cook, Yuri Gorin, Mike and Ellie Honeyman, and Jackie and Tom Washburn.

Delaware: Mary Lou Edgar.

Florida: Florence Gilbert, Jesse and Cheryl Parsons, Beverly Young, and Georgia Edward W. (Kip) Klein.

Hawaii: Denise and Frank Mazepa.

Idaho: Jolyn Callen.

Illinois: Chuck and Lynn Barkulis, Kenneth and Kim Lovelace, Annette and Jim McDermott, Henry and Odessa McDowell, and Judy Stigger.

Indiana: Ann and Moses Gray.

Iowa: Jim and Diane Lewis and Bambi Schrader.

Kansas: Joe Harvey.

Kentucky: Virginia Sturgeon and Martin and Lisa Williams.

Louisiana: Judith Legett and Sister Rosario O'Connell.

Maine: Anne Henry Sister Theresa Theuein, LCSW.

Maryland: Lisa A. Olney.

Massachusetts: Dr. Laurie Miller, Penny Callan Partridge, Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao, and Nancy Reffsin.

Michigan: Sydney Duncan, Mary Ellyn Lambert, Jim Rockwell, Milton and Julia Smith, JoAnne Swanson, Craig and Paula Van Dyke, and Judge Joan E. Young.

Minnesota: Roger Toogood and The Witikko Family.

Missouri: Janet Harp, Ed and Joan Harter, Howard and Rochelle Muchnick, Connie Quinn, Small World Adoption Foundation, and Brenda Henn and Slava Plotonov.

Nebraska: Stuart and Dari Dornan and Tammy Nelson.

Nevada: Judge Nancy M. Saitta.

New Hampshire: David Villiotti.

New Jersey: Lawrence and Deborah Andrews, Barbara Cohen, Joseph Collins, Karen Flanagan Ken and Bonnie Moore, Jane Nast, Mary Hunt Peret, and Paytra Skelly.

New York: Dr. Jane Aronson, Linda and Thomas Bellick, Kevin and Eileen Gilligan, Frederick Greenman, Marie Keller Nauman, New York State Citizens' Coalition for Children, Inc., Paul and Jackie White, Barbara and Scott Williams, Alan M. Wishnoff and Lisa Smith.

North Dakota: Tammy and Jared Gasel and Family.

Ohio: Mary Malloy, Theodore and Lillian Mason, Faith and Marvin Smith.

Oklahoma: Jerry and Denise Dillion and Debbie Espinosa.

Oregon: Judith Spargo.

Pennsylvania: Barbara Schoener.

Rhode Island: Dennis B. Langley.

South Carolina: Brenda and Anthony Davis, Peggy Ewing, Tomilee Harding, William Brantley Hart.

South Dakota: Jeanine Jones and Andy Browles, Dale and Arlene Decker, Jeannie French, Mark Kelsey and Calla Rogue, Jon and Laurie LeBar, and Judge Merton B. Tice, Jr.

Texas: Kathleen Foster, Tom and Mary Alice McCubbins, and Armando and Lucy Valdes. [Page: S9362]

Utah: Gary Simmons.

Vermont: William M. Young.

Virginia: Cathy Harris, Brian and Kellie Meehan, Sandra F. Silvers, WRIC TV 8, and United Methodist Family Services.

Washington: Ivan Day, Janice Neilson, Jon and Kerri Steeb.

West Virginia: Scott and Faith Merryman.

Wisconsin: Cheri Kainz and Lisa Robertson.

Wyoming: Ellen McGee.