U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Amy Klobuchar Introduce ADOPT Act to Protect Adoptive Families 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the bipartisan Adoption Deserves Oversight, Protection, and Transparency (ADOPT) Act. This comprehensive legislation protects adoptive families, children, and expectant mothers from exploitation by unlicensed adoption intermediaries and ensures that adoption providers and attorneys operate only in states where they are licensed to do so.

“I believe it is incumbent upon Congress to ensure loving parents pursuing adoption to grow their families, expectant mothers working with adoption providers, and children are protected from bad actors seeking to take advantage of the adoption process,” said Senator Britt. “This legislation does just that, establishing necessary oversight in the adoption process to promote transparency and uphold the integrity of adoption in our nation. I’ll always use my position on the federal level to fight for women, children, and families, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in this latest effort to defend those involved in the adoption process from exploitation.”

The ADOPT Act protects adoptive families, children, and expectant mothers from exploitation by prohibiting adoption advertising and the provision of private adoption services for compensation by any entity not licensed as a child-placing agency or attorney and restricting payments to expectant mothers unless made through a provider licensed in the state where the expectant mother resides.

“Adoption changes lives — for kids and adoptive parents alike. Unfortunately, unlicensed ‘baby brokers’ prey on vulnerable mothers and families, hurting everyone in the process,” said Senator Klobuchar. “That’s why Senator Britt and I are introducing the bipartisan ADOPT Act, which protects expecting mothers and adoptive families from exploitation by ensuring that parents pursuing private, domestic adoption are working with trusted, licensed professionals.”

Senator Britt has led several pieces of pro-family legislation, previously introducing the IVF Protection Act to ensure continued nationwide access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and joining President Trump during an announcement to reduce the cost of IVF. Senator Britt’s actions have helped families grow across the nation, as well as supported families throughout all seasons, including early childhood development.  Recently, she secured updated child care tax credits in the Senate reconciliation bill for the first time in 25 years.

The bill is led in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.). The ADOPT Act is supported by leading adoption organizations including the National Council For Adoption, Ethical Family Building, and the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys.

“The ADOPT Act better ensures expectant mothers contemplating adoption have a trustworthy team around them, and that they have all the information and resources available to them before deciding whether to place their child for adoption,” says Ryan Hanlon, president and CEO of National Council For Adoption. “What’s more, the ADOPT Act will spare prospective adoptive families—many of whom consider adoption after a painful infertility journey—time, resources and the heartbreak that so often accompanies signing with a predatory, unlicensed adoption intermediary.”

“The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) applauds efforts to protect adoptive families and children during the adoption process, by ensuring they are served by licensed adoption professionals, with appropriate oversight and transparency,” said Genie Miller Gillespie, Adoption Policy Director of AAAA. “Welcoming a child into a family through adoption is a tremendous and joyous event; the legal process behind that adoption must match the magnitude of the event. Ensuring the guardrails of the legal process are maintained and that all parties to an adoption are protected will help ensure that families do not have their hopes exploited. The ADOPT Act is an important step in protecting families and children.”

“The ADOPT ACT delivers long-overdue safeguards for vulnerable women, families, and children by combatting the exploitation carried out by unlicensed adoption intermediaries, and by ensuring that both expectant parents considering adoption and families hoping to adopt receive compassionate, qualified support,” said Celeste Liversidge, Executive Director of Ethical Family Building. “The Bill further reinforces essential protections for adopted children, whose long-term well-being must remain at the center of every adoption decision.”

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