Celebrating the joys of adoption

Adoption offers a wonderful opportunity to bring children in need and caring supportive parents together.  Each year, I have the incredible opportunity to nominate, for special recognition, families from across the Sixth Congressional District who have made a significant difference in the lives of children, particularly those who have chosen to build their families through adoption.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the countless children in this country and the millions around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes, hosts an annual awards event, “Angels in Adoption,” to highlight the joys of adoption, and to encourage families to adopt children in foster care. 

This event allows Members of Congress to take an active role in selecting a constituent of their choice as an award recipient.  I have been extremely honored to select families from the Sixth Congressional District who have significantly contributed to changing the lives of children in need through adoption and foster care. The “Angels in Adoption” program is a wonderful way to recognize good folks who are doing extraordinary things.

Recently I was proud to nominate Vic and Linda Sisson of Fincastle to represent the Sixth Congressional District as our “Angels in Adoption”.  The Sissons, who have 4 children of their own, were empty-nesters on the verge of retirement when a friend mentioned becoming foster parents.  They decided to open their home to children in need and went through the process to become foster parents to three siblings. After five years of watching their foster children meet prospective parents, Vic and Linda decided to complete the adoption process themselves.  Each year I am touched by the good work of my constituents, like the Sisson Family, who have greatly enriched the lives of children through adoption. Their personal experiences and involvement in adoption and foster care prove that they are more than deserving of this recognition.

In addition, I am pleased to support important bipartisan legislation which extends and expands incentives for families to adopt children.  With the average cost of adoption between $20,000 and $25,000, the Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act makes permanent the current tax credit for adoptive families. 

As a member of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Adoption, which focuses on adoption policy issues, I will continue working to reduce and remove the barriers that hinder children from realizing their basic need to have a family.  We must encourage and promote adoption as a viable solution for the numerous children both domestically and internationally who find themselves without the support of a loving family and we must always commend those who are willing to open their hearts and homes to take in a child.

To contact me about this or any other matter, please visit my website at www.goodlatte.house.gov.