WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), co-chair of the Senate Adoption Caucus, today joined co-chair Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) to introduce the Children In Families First (CHIFF) Act of 2013 which would prioritize the United States' involvement in international adoption and orphanages on placing children with families.

“Orphanages play a vital role in providing a safe haven for children who for one reason or another are no longer with their biological parents, but ultimately our primary goal should be for a child to be placed with a family in a loving home," said Inhofe. "I joined Sen. Landrieu in introducing legislation that would prioritize and streamline home placement when the United States is involved with international adoption cases.  With a granddaughter adopted from Ethiopia, I understand and have seen firsthand the critical role a loving home environment plays in the development of a young child. I believe the United States' involvement in helping those most vulnerable around the world must involve strengthening the role of the family."

The CHIFF Act will strengthen the rights of orphaned children and establish necessary oversight of the USAID's resources used to assist these children. The legislation also streamlines, simplifies, and prioritizes the adoption process by tasking the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services with processing all intercountry adoptions and accrediting adoption service providers.

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