U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Bowling Green, has joined House and Senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to work directly with the Chinese government to resolve the bureaucratic impasse preventing American families from completing adoptions that had been approved before China shut down its intercountry adoption program.
The letter stated, “We write to you on behalf of hundreds of children and American families who have been devastated by the People’s Republic of China’s decision to halt its intercountry adoption program. We request that you act in the best interest of these children and engage the Chinese government to finalize these pending adoption cases.”
In the letter, the lawmakers stressed the urgency of the situation.
“The sudden termination of China’s adoption program in August 2024 only exacerbated our concern for these children’s well-being. Many of these children have special health care needs, and some will soon age out of care systems without the support of a permanent family. … We urge you to elevate this engagement and press the Chinese government to finalize pending adoption cases so these children may finally be united with their adoptive families in the United States.”
A U.S. State Department notice last November suggested China may allow adoptions to resume for families in certain countries. The lawmakers are making it clear: the U.S. must be included in any such arrangement. American families must not be left behind, and the administration must press the Chinese government to allow these adoptions to move forward through diplomatic channels, without intervention, hundreds of children remain in limbo, despite their adoptions already being approved.
Paul notes that he has long been an advocate for these families, having signed a similar letter to President Biden in November 2024, and says he remains committed to ensuring that every child matched with an adoptive family is given the opportunity to grow up in a safe, loving, and permanent home.
Members of Kentucky’s Congressional delegation who also signed the letter include Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green, and Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville.
