One of the many ways that you can advocate to your elected officials is by encouraging them to become members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, if they are not already members.
The Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) was formed in 1985 by a group of members of Congress who shared the common goal of ensuring that every child has a loving, safe, and permanent home to call their own. The members found that this shared commitment transcended party lines and geographical borders. Today, the CCA has over 140 members and is the largest, bicameral caucus in all of Congress. They work together to stay informed and active on needs related to adoption. CCA members have led Congress in the passage of legislation that has dramatically impacted the lives of children including “The Adoption and Safe Families Act” (ASFA), the “John Chafee Foster Care Independence Act,” the “Promoting Safe and Stable Families Act,” the “Hope for Children Act,” and the “Intercountry Adoption Act.”
You can see if your members of Congress are members of the CCA by visiting this link. If they are not members of the CCA, we encourage you to reach out to them and ask them to join. The best way to reach out to your member is by calling their Washington, DC office and asking for the email of the legislative staffer that covers adoption (you can find office contact information by visiting: www.contactingthecongress.org). Then you can email the staff member and inform them about the CCA and how easy it is to join. To join, they simply complete this form and send it to a CCA co-chair’s office (which are listed at the bottom of the form). If your member’s office has any questions, they can reach out to a CCA co-chair’s office, who will be happy to help.
Small steps such as asking your members of Congress to join the CCA can make a big difference in keep your members of Congress educated on concerns related to adoption. This small ask is also a great way to start a relationship with your members of Congress! Your expertise and interest on this topic matters! There are many caucuses in Congress, so your members of Congress may not have even heard about the CCA, and an ask from their constituents can make a big difference! As always, every voice advocating for adoption helps, and this is an easy way that you can make a big difference!
