“Letter a Day†Campaign Picks up Speed in Support of ECDF
Last week, PFLAG National sent an Every Child Deservesa Family (S.1770) support letter tothe U.S. Senate, urging our Senators to review this life-saving legislation.Our letter was a part of the ECDF Coalition’s “Letterof the Day” campaign, designed to help educate Senators, and keystaffers, about this legislation. So far, five national groups including PFLAGhave sent in letters of support for ECDF, with over a dozenmore organizationsplanning to send their own. ECDF has the power to open millions of homes tofoster care and adoption-eligible children, thousands of whom age out of thesystem each year without a permanent home and a forever family of their own, bybanning discrimination based on the sexual orientation, gender identity, ormarital status of the protective parent.
While we are raising our voices to ensure that more homesare available to foster youth,, Virginia legislators took action last week todo just the opposite. . Earlier this month legislation passed which allowsprivate adoption agencies–receiving our public tax dollars–to discriminate againstparents on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Thebill was publically condemned by U.S. Senator Warner(D-VA) who called the bill “mean spirited” and went on to say, “It is wrong todeny a foster child the opportunity to belong to a supportive, modern familysimply because it is led by a same-sex couple in a loving and committedrelationship.” Enacting Every Child Deserves a Family Act (S. 1770/H.R. 1681)at the federal level would override Virginia’s uninformed decision.
We applaud Senator Warner for his denouncement of such adespicable bill, and encourage all Senators to demonstrate the leadership condemningsimilar legislation being considered in other state legislatures which ultimatelylimits more nurturing and permanent homes hurting those youth in foster carewaiting for their forever families.. We are grateful to the nineco-sponsors in the Senate, and ninetythree co-sponsors in the House, and would like to thankRepresentatives Bobby Scott and Gerry Connolly, two Virginia Representativeswho have also condemned the recent legislation passed in Virginia.
TakeAction: We must act to ensure the consideration of thislegislation as soon as possible. ECDF will save lives, build stronger families,and ensure that more children and youth are placed in loving forever homes. Thereare many steps you can take to show your support:
- Callor send a letter to your U.S. Senators urging them to review, support, andco-sponsor the legislation. If they already support the bill, consider sendinga message of thanks!
- Schedule an in-state or in-district lobby visit with yourchapter to speak with your Members of Congress. Contact PFLAG National forassistance if needed.
- Sign up for PFLAGAction Alerts to stay up-to-date on crucial national andregional legislation, and continue to check our National Blog for importantnews.
- Spread the word! Use information from PFLAG National’s letter of support tospread awareness about the importance of ECDF, or link to our National website’sECDFinformation page.
Together we have the power to make a difference for over107,000 children around the country!
