More from Hannah (Washington DC Update)

(Re-posted with permission from Hannah Wallace, President of FOA).

Dear Listmates, As Susana mentioned in her "update" about Amparos, she came up to Washington D.C. last week and she and I (as President of Focus On Adoption) met, along with two adoptive parents who work in Washington, with several congressional offices.

We had an extremely productive meeting with the staff of Senator Lugar (chair) and Senator Biden (ranking member) of the Foreign Affairs Committee. We had an opportunity to address several issues:
(1) Unicef's role in Guatemala
(2) the legal impasse in Guatemala vis a vis the governmental and political issues
(3) the constitutional issues and significance of amparos
(4) the need for DOS to be the liaison between US families, agencies, and the PGN/C.A.
(5) the desirability of DOS expanding its diplomatic mission to be more inclusive of the entire adoption and legal community in Guatemala (6) the increasing child
care crisis during this impasse
(7)concerns about legislation
(8) U.S. Third Party Status.
(9) BCIS suspension of DNA. They wanted further documentation which we will be providing through a liaison. We provided some articles, Susana's rebuttal to the ILPEC report, the on line petitions and sample letters.

I think it would be extremely useful if families who have a Senator on the
Foreign Affairs Committee would please contact those offices and ask for an
opportunity to meet and discuss the issues with the local staff.

(2) Another extremely useful meeting was with Senator Stabalov's office - Michigan.
All Michigan famiies and agencies are encouraged to fax letters to local and
DC staff - please use the "on line" letters as a "sample". You are also encouraged to do the same with Senator Carl Levin's office. We discussed the necessity for an in depth briefing session with Congressional reps when Congress reconvenes.
At that time we will bring up more Guatemalan representatives.

(3) Our meeting with staff from Sen. Nickles (Oklahoma) was short because of
some Energy hearings, but this office is extremly involved in adoption matters. It was confirmed that the DOS is trying to negotiate an expeditious
processing of ALL cases.

It is quite important that ALL families in process (including families who
have their I-171 H approval for Guatemala) contact your Senators and
Congressional Reps (local office is fine) and fax your information: your names and address and phone number, your child's name and birth date, your agency name and contact number, the date you received your referral, where you are in the process, and when you had DNA authorization.

IF you have not had DNA authorization, please indicate and make a strong
request for BCIS to resume DNA testing until the C.A. issues are resolved in
Guatemala. These issues are more than just the DNA and their costs - as right now the C.A. is attaching unacceptable conditions ( illegal and being challenged
under the Guatemala law) to the processing of the DNA - removing the Notary and lawyer (who represent the birthmother and the adoptive family) from the
process and possibly taking over the cases. So far ALL of the Amparos regarding these procedures have been upheld, and more are being entered each day. The DOS and BCIS have a "list" and you want to make sure that YOUR information is on that list. Even if you've not had a referral, but have an approved I-171 H for Guatemala, please get this information in to your Congressional and Senate Reps!!!!

Apparently there are a bit over 1,000 cases in process and about 200 without
DNA authorization. It is important that you let your Reps know that there are
about 1,000 cases in process!!! Some have no idea of the large numbers.

ALL agencies on this list, please compile your "list" and send to your
Representatives.

Hannah Wallace, Adoptions International
FOCUS ON ADOPTION

**Hannah has given her permission for this to be posted on all lists**