Congresswoman Angie Craig Champions Bipartisan LGBTQ Adoption and Foster Care Protection Bill

Today, U.S. Rep Angie Craig announced she is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Every Child Deserves a Family Act, a bill introduced this week that would prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ adoptive parents and foster youth in the foster care system.

As a mother who faced adoption challenges when trying to adopt her own son, Josh, Rep. Craig knows firsthand how important it is to end discrimination against LGBTQ adoptive parents and foster youth. She fought hard for the family she has today, but unfortunately, too many LGBTQ people are not as lucky.

"No parent should ever be denied the opportunity to build a family because of who they love or how they identify, and no child should ever be mistreated because of their identity. All that should matter is that children are placed in a safe, loving home," said Rep. Craig. "I'm proud to be a champion for this bill to ensure LGBTQ adoptive parents and children are treated with the respect they deserve."

"Family Equality Council is pleased to see this critical piece of legislation, hails its bipartisan introduction, and thanks Rep. Craig for her lifelong, steadfast commitment to ending discrimination in adoptions and in the foster care system," said Rev. Stan J. Sloan, Chief Executive Officer of the Family Equality Council. "Any solution to ending the foster care and adoption crisis must begin with ending the discrimination inherent in the system. This piece of legislation does just that, while also protecting the youth in care."

In addition to cosponsoring the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, Rep. Craig also spoke at a briefing hosted by Rep. John Lewis and the Family Equality Council on the importance of passing this bill. She is also a champion of the Equality Act, which passed out of the House last month, as well as several pieces of legislation to protect LGBTQ youth from harassment and discrimination.