National Adoption Month, 2003

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Part III

The President

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Proclamation 7731--National Adoption Month, 2003

Proclamation 7732--World Freedom Day, 2003

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7731 of November 7, 2003

National Adoption Month, 2003

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every year, tens of thousands of American families
answer the call to adopt a child. During National
Adoption Month, we recognize America's adoptive and
foster families. We also commit to helping all of our
children, including those waiting in foster care, find
safe, permanent, and loving homes.

On November 22, communities across the country will
come together to celebrate National Adoption Day by
finalizing the adoptions of over 3,000 children from
foster care. On this day and all this month, we honor
families that have opened their hearts and homes to a
child.

The number of children who are adopted has increased in
recent years. Still, thousands of children in our
country--many with special needs--continue to wait in
foster care for an adoptive family.

We are taking important steps to make adoption more
commonplace and to protect the well-being of our
children. We have eased the financial burden of
adoption by nearly doubling the maximum adoption tax
credit. We expanded the Promoting Safe and Stable
Families Program, which encourages adoption at the
local level and supports adoptive families with
services that ease a child's transition into a new
family and help to strengthen the family. The
Department of Health and Human Services provides
incentives to States that increase the number of
children adopted from State-supervised foster care.

Last year, my Administration launched the first Federal
adoption website, www.AdoptUSKids.org, which features
pictures and profiles of children available for
adoption. This site helps loving families connect with
waiting children across the country. Already, more than
1,700 children featured on the site have been placed
with adoptive families. This progress is testimony to
the selfless spirit of American families.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim November 2003 as National
Adoption Month. I call on all Americans to observe this
month with appropriate programs and activities to honor
adoptive families and to participate in efforts to find
permanent homes for waiting children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand three, and of the

Independence of the United States of America the two
hundred and twenty-eighth.

(Presidential Sig.)B