Presses the DRC Government to Act as Many American Families Wait for their Children

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, applauded House passage of H. Res. 588, which urges the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to resume international adoptions, a suspension that has currently impacted hundreds of American families.  The legislation, introduced by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), passed the Committee last month.  Specifically, the legislation requests that the Democratic Republic of the Congo government resume issuing exit permits for all adopted children and expedite the processing of those adoptions which involve medically fragile children.

On the passage of H. Res. 588, Chairman Royce said: “Nearly a thousand American families have been impacted by Congo’s suspension of exit permits for children adopted by foreign parents.  These Congolese children are not allowed to leave the country to go to their new homes, even though the parents have been officially declared the legal guardians under Congolese law.  The Weaver family in my district is going through this very struggle.  Despite approval from the Congolese Court, the Weavers have been forced to wait for almost a year while their daughter sits in an orphanage.  This Congo adoption limbo is breaking hearts across the country.   In April, 170 Members of Congress wrote and asked the DRC government to lift the exit permit suspension.  Today’s approval of H. Res. 588 sends another strong signal to Congo that we need to unite these impacted families.”

The House also passed H.R. 4653, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2014, introduced by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), which reauthorizes the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.  The legislation passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee last month.

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