Re: HR 3286 bill passes *with* ICWA amendments
Jeff Keohane (keohane@leland.stanford.edu)
Fri, 10 May 1996 13:38:50 -0700 (PDT)
I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but for those who have not heard,
the House passed the so-called 'Adoption Promotion and Stability Act of
1996.' The bill passed in a landslide, 393 to 15. The Young Amendment to
strike Title III failed, 195-212. Title III is the section which
eviscerates ICWA, by, once again, redefining who is an 'Indian.' The
President backs the bill--probably because it would give adoptive parents
$5000. They just love to throw around money in an election year!
Especially if it's yet another bonus to the white, upper/middle-class
people who do almost all of the adopting in the USA. If we can't stop
this in the Senate, it'll be up to a white guy in a black house dress to
decide between giving June and Ward Cleaver a baby and saddling that baby
with an identity that he'd never choose. After all, for judges, who also
just happen to be predominantly upper class whites, there's nothing more
important to a baby than money.
I could on ranting all day, but I'll spare you. I'll leave you with
this: it is NOT too early to start harassing senators about this bill.
Remember, too, that most of our federal representatives use bean counting
to evaluate constituent opinion. I one office I know of they count a
letter as 10, a phone call as 2, a postcard or form letter as 1/2, and
e-mail as 1/10. Please sit down and write those letters, and make those
phone calls!
-Jeff