Washington—On Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee will markup the FY19 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. This markup provides Congress with an opportunity to protect faith-based adoption agencies by including the bipartisan Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (H.R. 1881) as an amendment to the bill.
Faith-based adoption agencies are under attack from left-wing activist groups looking to shut down child-welfare providers that place children according to sincerely held religious and moral beliefs. In Massachusetts, Illinois, California, D.C., and Philadelphia, adoption agencies such as Catholic Social Services have lost contracts with local governments or have been forced to shut down entirely because they operate on the belief that a child should be placed in a home with one mom and one dad.
Heritage Action released the following statement from Executive Director Tim Chapman:
The current attack on our nation’s faith-based adoption agencies should sicken every American. At a time when the opioid crisis is displacing thousands of kids and straining our nation’s foster care system, Congress should act swiftly to pass the Inclusion Act. This bill will ensure faith-based adoption agencies can continue to place thousands of kids in stable homes with a loving father and mother.
Heritage Action applauds the work of Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), and Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to include H.R. 1881 as an amendment to the FY19 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. Heritage Action has included the bill as a legislative endorsement and reserves the right to key vote in the future.
Related:
Heritage Action: Heritage Action Supports Rep. Mike Kelly and Sen. Mike Enzi's Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act
Coalition Letter: Letter to Congress: Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (H.R. 1881)
The Heritage Foundation: Poll: Ensure All Adoption Agencies Can Continue to Serve Families and Children