Rep. Angie Craig Reacts to Oral Arguments in Supreme Court Adoption Case

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case which could determine whether faith-based child welfare organizations can reject LGBTQ families and others whom they consider to be in violation of their religious beliefs. U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand led an amicus brief earlier this fall urging the Supreme Court to uphold requirements that private agencies providing foster care services with federal and state funds comply with anti-discrimination laws and policies.

"For me and countless other LGBTQ parents, this case is personal," said Rep. Craig. "When adopting our son Josh, a judge wrote that having two moms was not in the best interests of any child. Thankfully, he was overruled. No parent should face discrimination when adopting or fostering a child, or be denied the opportunity to build a family because of who they love or how they identify. I'm proud to have led this amicus brief with Sen. Gillibrand and 171 of our colleagues to reassert that every child in this country deserves a safe and loving family."

"There are hundreds of thousands of children in foster care right now who should get the chance to be raised by loving and caring parents, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or religion" said Sen. Gillibrand. "It's deeply troubling that anti-LGBTQ discrimination in the foster care and adoption system continues to prevent LGBTQ parents from adopting and fostering vulnerable children and it must end now. I am proud to have led this amicus brief with Congresswoman Craig to put an end to this blatant bigotry. "

"We need every willing, qualified family to provide a loving home to the over 400,000 children in America's foster care system. We cannot risk allowing even one agency to discriminate and prevent a child from receiving placement in a safe and stable home. In our amicus brief in this case, Family Equality told the stories of prospective foster parents who were turned away from fostering a child solely because they were same-sex couples, who then watched that same child listed year after year as seeking a family and forever home. This is inhumane and unconscionable. The Supreme Court must uphold the Third Circuit's ruling that taxpayer-funded foster care agencies must act in the best interests of the children they serve, and abide by general, neutrally applied legal requirements to do so," said Denise Brogan-Kator, CEO (Interim) and Chief Policy Officer at Family Equality.

Rep. Angie Craig is the first LGBTQ mother in the U.S. House of Representatives and a co-chair of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus. In September, she became the lead sponsor of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act which would ban discrimination against LGBTQ adoptive parents and foster youth. You can learn more about her own adoption struggle here.