,h4 ,,res4 #ehh  ,in the ,house of      
,representatives1 ,u4 ,s41  ,july #h1   
#bjad  ,,resolution  ,whereas according 
to ,,unicef1 over #d1jjj1jjj orphans are
 estimated to be living in the          
,democratic ,republic of the ,congo2    
,whereas the ,united ,states has made   
significant financial investments in the
 ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo1   
providing an estimated #geh1ajb1jjj in  
development1 humanitarian1 and security 
assistance1 including peacekeeping      
activities1 in fiscal year #bjac2       
,whereas cyclical and violent conflict  
has plagued the ,democratic ,republic of
 the ,congo since the mid-#aiijs2       
,whereas1 according to the ,united      
,states ,department of ,state1 the      
policy of the ,administration toward the
 ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo is 
8focused on helping the country become a
 nation that 99 99 99 provides for the  
basic needs of its citizens02 ,whereas  
the ,united ,nations has recognized a   
child's right to a family as a basic    

human right worthy of protection2       
,whereas adoption1 both domestic and    
international1 is widely recognized as  
an important child protection tool and  
an integral part of child welfare best  
practices around the world1 along with  
family reunification and prevention of  
abandonment2 ,whereas1 on ,september    
#bg1 #bjac1 the ,congolese ,ministry of 
,interior and ,security1 ,general       
,direction of ,migration1 informed the  
,united ,states ,embassy in ,kinshasa   
that effective ,september #be1 #bjac1   
they had suspended issuance of exit     
permits to adopted ,congolese children  
seeking to depart the country with their
 adoptive parents1 affecting hundreds of
 children2 ,whereas there are ,american 
families with finalized adoptions in the
 ,democratic ,republic of the ,congo and
 the necessary legal paperwork and visas
 ready to travel home with these        
children but are currently unable to do 
so2 and ,whereas on ,december #ai1      
#bjac1 the ,congolese ,minister of      

,justice1 ,minister of ,interior and    
,security1 and the ,general ,direction  
of ,migration confirmed to members of   
the ,united ,states ,department of      
,state that the current suspension on   
the issuance of exit permits continues3 
,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that the ,house
 of ,representatives--  7#a7 affirms    
that all children deserve a safe1       
loving1 and permanent family2  7#b7     
recognizes the importance of ensuring   
that international adoptions of all     
children are conducted in an ethical and
 transparent manner2  7#c7 expresses    
concern over the increasing number of   
new adoption cases that have been opened
 and the impact on children and families
 of the ,democratic ,republic of the    
,congo's suspension of exit permits2 and
  7#d7 respectfully requests that the   
,congolese ,government--  7,a7 resume   
issuing exit permits for all children   
that have been adopted1 and continue    
processing adoptions that are already   
underway2  7,b7 expedite the processing 

of those adoptions which involve        
medically fragile children2 and  7,c7   
encourages continued dialogue and       
cooperation between the ,united ,states 
,department of ,state and the           
,democratic ,republic of the ,congo's   
,ministry of ,foreign ,affairs to       
improve the intercountry adoption       
process and ensure the welfare of all   
children adopted from the ,democratic   
,republic of the ,congo4  ,clerk4