Holland Reporter

Congressman Bill Huizenga, Congresswoman Annie Kuster, and Congressman Lloyd Smucker have introduced the bipartisan Protecting All Parents and Adoptees (PAPA) Act. This legislation aims to strengthen the adoption process and protect children by establishing a National Responsible Father Registry that will enhance coordination between states and all parties involved in the adoption process.

Congressman Huizenga expressed his pride in working with Rep. Kuster and Rep. Smucker to remove barriers from the adoption process and ensure that children can find safe and loving forever homes. He emphasized that this bipartisan legislation is crucial in respecting privacy, parental rights, and providing protection to victims of domestic violence.

Congresswoman Kuster, who has 25 years of experience as an adoption attorney, highlighted the need for a comprehensive National Responsible Father Registry. She emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of all parents while facilitating a reliable and efficient adoption process. She expressed her pride in introducing this bipartisan legislation, which aims to improve coordination between states and protect the rights and dignity of parents, adoptive families, and children.

Congressman Smucker joined Reps. Kuster and Huizenga in introducing the legislation, emphasizing that children flourish in strong and loving families. He expressed his pleasure in contributing to the strengthening of the adoption process by increasing cooperation among states through the establishment of a National Responsible Father Registry.

The President and CEO of the National Council For Adoption, Ryan Hanlon, supported the legislation, stating that it is a commitment to ensuring the rights of all parties involved in an adoption proceeding are protected. By connecting existing state registries, the legislation will expand opportunities for timely notifications to birth parents and enable those who wish to assert parental rights.

Currently, there are 37 states with registries that allow potential fathers to seek notification of an adoption proceeding. However, there is no system in place to notify them if the proceeding occurs across state lines, leading to delays and potential disruptions that prevent children from finding permanent homes.

The PAPA Act aims to address this issue by linking state father registries and creating a comprehensive national resource. This resource will alleviate the burden on women to identify potential fathers, especially in cases of rape or domestic violence, thus protecting their privacy. The legislation will also empower fathers and protect their parental rights by enabling them to register in one state to obtain notice of a proceeding in a different state. Ultimately, the PAPA Act seeks to ensure that children can find permanent homes as quickly as possible.

In summary, Huizenga, Kuster, and Smucker have introduced the bipartisan PAPA Act to strengthen the adoption process and protect children. This legislation will establish a National Responsible Father Registry to enhance coordination between states and all parties involved in the adoption process. By linking state father registries, the PAPA Act aims to protect the privacy and parental rights of all parties while enabling children to find permanent homes as quickly as possible.

Click this link to access more information: https://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402744