June 24, 2014 Dear Honorable Members of Congress: We are The Democratic Republic of Congo “Pipeline” Families and we are asking for your help. More than fifty American families, together with Both Ends Burning, have traveled to Washington DC to give voice to the international adoption crisis more than 700 American families are facing. We have come to urge further Congressional involvement in helping our children to come home and to resolve this urgent human rights crisis. As you are doubtless aware, more than 350 children that have been legally adopted by American citizens are stuck in The Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”) because of the September 2013 suspension on the issuance of exit letters by DRC. Many of these children’s adoptions have already have been approved by the US government and Orphan Visas have been issued by the US Embassy, but we are unable to leave DRC with our children until the ban is lifted. In the interim, many of us are attempting to provide for the health and well-being of our children by making costly financial assistance payments each month to our adoption service providers or arranged foster families. In addition, there are more than 400 children in the process of adoption by American families, many of whom will soon be added to the list of children unable to come home until the ban on exit permissions is lifted. Many of us are also making monthly payments to provide for our children. Our waiting children face harsh conditions, malnutrition, and disease. Each day they spend without the love and care of their family causes them damage and places them at great risk. Tragically, some waiting children have not survived. We are here today asking for your help to make sure no additional child is lost due to this needless wait. We are encouraged and grateful for the results from the recent involvement of Congress. In the last few weeks, nineteen children have received exit letters and are home or will soon be home with their American families. We have also seen greater involvement and engagement by the Department of State as the result of Congressional pressure and interest. Thanks to Congressional action, we are hopeful that all of the medically fragile children and all children who satisfied DRC’s criteria prior to the September suspension will soon be granted exit letters as well. Unfortunately, this represents a small fraction of the waiting children and there is no end in sight for the hundreds of our children and families still waiting. As communicated to us by Department of State, DRC now takes the position that the suspension will only be lifted after new laws are written and enacted, and that such an undertaking will not even begin before this fall. Such an endeavor could take years. The Department of State has told us that we may have to begin anew, and that some of us may not even qualify to adopt our already-adopted children under these new laws, which have not yet been drafted. This is simply unjust, and our children’s very lives depend on your involvement in seeking a solution. We, The Democratic Republic of Congo “Pipeline” Families, ask you to: 1. Direct the Department of State to make this crisis a top priority such that Secretary Kerry and Ambassador Swan remain personally involved in the communications with the Congolese Government; 2. Direct USCIS and Department of State to immediately allocate additional resources to the National Benefits Center and the US Embassy in Kinshasa so that orphan processing times can be reduced and that child welfare can be ensured; 3. Lead or join a Congressional Delegation to DRC to meet with the appropriate Congolese Government officials and resolve this crisis. We request that you advocate for all adoptions currently in process to be allowed to proceed under the existing DRC law, and that our cases not be subject to future laws, whatever those may be, forcing us to restart the adoption process again. We believe that such a showing of interest would greatly benefit the damaged relations and could lead to the immediate lifting of the suspension; and 4. Speak publicly of your support for our children, and of your interest in finding a solution to this crisis. We thank you for your willingness to hear our stories and we plead with you to help us bring our children home. Every child deserves a family, and our children have one waiting to give them the love and care they so desperately need. Sincerely, s/Benjamin and Heather Ackler s/Matthew and Merklein Allen Benjamin and Heather Ackler Battleground, Washington Matthew and Merklein Allen San Antonio, Texas s/Michael and Christy Aguilera s/David and Amanda Allen Michael and Christy Aguilera Tujunga, California David and Amanda Allen Apo, AP s/Brian and Ruble Aitchison s/Richardson and Wendy Allison Brian and Ruble Aitchison Ashburn, Virginia s/Matthew and Massie Allen Matthew and Massie Allen San Antonio, Texas Richardson and Wendy Allison McKenzie, Tennessee s/Todd and Hannah Altieri Todd and Hannah Altieri Franklinton, North Carolina s/ Jeff and Sarah Alwine s/Clayton and Brittani Bluhm Jeff and Sarah Alwine Carmel, Indiana Clayton and Brittani Bluhm Melbourne, Florida s/Arunan and Elizabeth Arulampalam s/Jason and Jennefer Boyer Arunan and Elizabeth Arulampalam Hamden, Connecticut Jason and Jennefer Boyer Sammamish, WA s/Luke and Michelle Aull s/Zacchary and Amanda Bray Luke and Michelle Aull Nashville, Tennessee 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