Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/1898

 PUBLIC LAW 108–145—DEC. 2, 2003

117 STAT. 1879

Public Law 108–145 108th Congress An Act To reauthorize the adoption incentive payments program under part E of title IV of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Adoption Promotion Act of 2003’’. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following: (1) In 1997, the Congress passed the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 to promote comprehensive child welfare reform to ensure that consideration of children’s safety is paramount in child welfare decisions, and to provide a greater sense of urgency to find every child a safe, permanent home. (2) The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 also created the Adoption Incentives program, which authorizes incentive payments to States to promote adoptions, with additional incentives provided for the adoption of foster children with special needs. (3) Since 1997, all States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have qualified for incentive payments for their work in promoting adoption of foster children. (4) Between 1997 and 2002, adoptions increased by 64 percent, and adoptions of children with special needs increased by 63 percent; however, 542,000 children remain in foster care, and 126,000 are eligible for adoption. (5) Although substantial progress has been made to promote adoptions, attention should be focused on promoting adoption of older children. Recent data suggest that half of the children waiting to be adopted are age 9 or older.

Dec. 2, 2003 [H.R. 3182] Adoption Promotion Act of 2003. 42 USC 1305 note. 42 USC 637b note.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF ADOPTION INCENTIVE PAYMENTS PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 473A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673b) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: ‘‘(2)(A) the number of foster child adoptions in the State during the fiscal year exceeds the base number of foster child adoptions for the State for the fiscal year; or

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