Dear President Obama,
US Senators and Congresspersons:
I
am writing to alert you to an urgent concern regarding adoption. Congress
recently passed the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act and
President Obama signing into law on December 14, 2012.
In
response, Russia's legislature, is considering legislation this week that is
being referred to as the Dima Yakovlev Law, named after a Russian-born child
who died in the care of his adoptive parents. This law would ban from visiting
Russia anyone involved in the case of Dima Yakovlev or other Russian born
adopted children who died in the United States. What is of most urgent concern
is that a recent amendment to this law would also end Intercountry Adoption
between Russian and the United States. I believe it is absolutely important to
protect the rights of every child and there should be a measured response to
the death of each of these children. We mourn the loss of these Russian-born
children with the Russians as they were also dear to us as American children.
However, it is important to note that these children are a tiny minority. Many
thousands of Russian born children have been adopted and thrived in the love
and care of their American families. If intercountry adoption between Russia
and the United States were to close, many thousands of children would likely
languish in orphanages instead of finding their way to safe, loving, permanent
families in the United States.
Now,
let me tell you our story, we have tried desperately for years to have our own
family. Two years ago, after medications
and countless tests, our doctors told us we were “asking for a miracle.” We believe that miracle is a little girl in
Russia – and now we need to bring her home, to her family. If intercountry adoption between
Russia and the United States closes, our little girl, and thousands of other children
like her
will not be able to find their way to the many U.S. families willing and
waiting to call them their own.
Please, we beg you, contact President Putin of Russia and ask him not to
allow this amendment to become part of Russian law. U.S. diplomacy at this time
is essential to save the lives of many young Russians waiting for a family of
their own.
Respectfully,
The Letschers
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