Family Equality Council Comments On White House Adoption Month Proc.

The Family Equality Council, the nation's foremost advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families released the following statement applauding the White House's support of adoption rights for all couples and individuals and praising the release of a National Adoption Month Proclamation that recognizes that adoptive families come in all forms.

"On behalf of the 1 million LGBT families raising 2 million children in our country today, and the millions more who are willing to open up their hearts and homes to children in foster care, the Family Equality Council applauds the President for releasing a statement supporting the opportunity of all Americans to serve as adoptive parents.

This proclamation, issued in recognition of National Adoption Month, represents a shared belief that adoption decisions should be based on the best interests of children and that all qualified caregivers should be allowed to serve as adoptive parents. The reality of today's America is that LGBT families are part of the fabric of this country.

The proclamation follows another statement issued by the White House last week regarding the Every Child Deserves a Family Act that reaffirms the Administration's continued and unwavering support of adoption rights for all LGBT couples and individuals.

The Every Child Deserves a Family Act (S 1770), introduced in the Senate by lead sponsor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), would dramatically increase the access foster children have to permanent and stable homes by discouraging state laws, policies and practices that exclude potential adoptive and foster parents because of their marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.

A companion bill (H.R. 1681) was introduced in the House last May by Representative by Rep. Pete Stark (CA) during National Foster Care Awareness Month. The House bill now has 80 bi-partisan co-sponsors.

There are 404,000 children in foster care and 107,000 of those children are currently eligible for adoption. Only by eliminating discriminatory laws and policies can we open up additional homes for these children.

During National Adoption Month, we join the President, Senator Gillibrand, Representative Stark and the growing number of lawmakers in Congress who are committed to the belief that every child deserves a family."