WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA), and John Hoeven (R-ND) reintroduced the Tribal Adoption Parity Act, legislation to provide tribal governments with parity by amending Section 23 of the Internal Revenue Code to add “Indian tribal governments” to the adoption tax credit.
Tribal governments would then be able to designate adoptive children as having “special needs,” a determination that would entitle the adoptive parents to qualify for the full adoption tax credit. This legislation would make the special needs adoption tax credit available to all adoptive parents who adopt children through tribal courts.
“Minnesotans have a long and proud tradition of adoption, welcoming children into safe and loving homes,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will add provide parity for tribal governments to the adoption tax credit, helping ensuregovernments in the adoption process to ensure a smooth and successful transition for children and families. As co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I’ll keep working to improve the adoption process and help every child find the permanent home they deserve.”
“Our legislation would bring parity between states and tribes when seeking adoptive homes for children with special needs,” said Hoeven, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “By helping more adoptive parents qualify for the full adoption tax credit, our bill would help make adoption more affordable for families and help ensure more children have the opportunity to be placed in loving, permanent homes.”
The Tribal Adoption Parity Act has been endorsed by the Child Welfare League of America, North American Council on Adoptable Children, National Congress of American Indians, and Voice For Adoption.
As co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption alongside Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Klobuchar has long led efforts to give every child a permanent home and improve the adoption process. CCA brings together members of Congress from both parties who share the goal of ensuring all children know the love and support of a family through legal permanency in the forms of adoption, guardianship, and kinship care.
In June 2021, provisions of Klobuchar and former Senator Roy Blunt’s (R-MO) legislation to protect adopted children from unregulated custody transfers passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. In May 2021, Klobuchar and Blunt introduced the Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee Act to improve the intercountry adoption process.