National Adoption Month, 2005

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Part VII

The President

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Proclamation 7952--National Adoption Month, 2005

Proclamation 7953--National Diabetes Month, 2005

Proclamation 7954--National Hospice Month, 2005

Proclamation 7955--Veterans Day, 2005

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7952 of November 2, 2005

National Adoption Month, 2005

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

All children deserve strong families with mothers and
fathers who are there to protect and love them. Every
year, thousands of Americans extend the gift of family
to a child through adoption. During National Adoption
Month, we recognize the compassion of adoptive and
foster families and renew our pledge to finding loving
and stable homes for children in need.

Many of our citizens have revealed the good heart of
America by opening their homes to children through
adoption. We are grateful to every family who provides
a safe, nurturing environment for their adopted
children. Last year, an estimated 51,000 children were
adopted from our Nation's foster care system, and tens
of thousands more were adopted through private agencies
and from overseas. Today, more than 118,000 children
remain in foster care in the United States awaiting
adoption. On November 19, National Adoption Day,
thousands of these children will celebrate the
finalization of their adoptions and go to their new
homes, secure in the love of families they can now call
their own.

My Administration remains committed to encouraging
adoption. This year, 24 States, the District of
Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico were
recognized through our Adoption Incentives Program for
their efforts to enhance their adoption and child
welfare programs. These efforts have contributed to an
increase in adoptions from 28,000 per year in 1996 to
an estimated 51,000 in 2004. In addition, the
AdoptUSKids initiative, which includes public service
announcements in English and Spanish and a website,
www.AdoptUSKids.org, has helped place more than 5,000
children in permanent homes over the last 3 years.

As we observe National Adoption Month, we recognize the
many caring families who have made a difference in a
child's life through adoption. By giving these children
the love, guidance, and support they need to grow,
adoptive and foster families play a vital role in
helping the next generation of Americans achieve their
dreams.

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 2005 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
second day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand five, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirtieth.

(Presidential Sig.)B