Please help The Adoption Tax Credit Working Group’s Executive Committee spread the message below to help protect the adoption tax credit. The adoption tax credit assists many children to find permanent, loving homes. Please help these children and families by contacting your Members of Congress.
The Adoption Tax Credit Working Group’s Executive Committee:
American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, Adopt America Network, Christian Alliance for Orphans,
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (Secretariat), Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption,
Donaldson Adoption Institute, Joint Council on International Children’s Services,
National Council For Adoption, North American Council on Adoptable Children,
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, ShowHope, and Voice for Adoption.
Grassroots Advocacy Campaign
ALERT – BREAKING NEWS: Last Wednesday, February 26, Chairman Camp of the Ways and Means Committee released his much anticipated tax reform proposal and it eliminates the adoption tax credit. This breaking news makes our advocacy efforts that much more critical. Now that an actual legislative proposal has suggested eliminating the credit altogether, we need to ensure that every single Member of Congress hears from us about its importance. Members will only be compelled to fight for its protection if they hear real stories from all of you.
Key Message: Outreach to your legislators is the only way to protect the adoption tax credit.
Members of Congress want to hear from you – their constituents – about what matters to you. Legislators only need to hear from 20 constituents about an issue before it becomes important to them. Remember, Members of Congress are people and oftentimes it is a personal story about why a law is needed that motivates them to act. They also understand that they are there to represent the people of their district. They want to know how a particular policy will affect those they are called to serve.
Highlighted FAQ: When will Congress vote on the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act (H.R. 2144/S.1056)?
• An individual vote on this bill is unlikely to happen. However, the adoption tax credit will remain part of the broader tax reform discussions and is now particularly vulnerable given the proposal to eliminate it. The more Congressional co-sponsors these bills have, the more likely the adoption tax credit will receive favorable attention in these discussions in Congress. Members of Congress are hearing daily from paid lobbyists about other tax related interests, and will have to make tough decisions about which tax policies are their ultimate priorities. Let’s not let the adoption tax credit become a victim because Members of Congress haven’t heard enough about its importance to their constituents! Don’t delay. Ask your Members of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 2144/S.1056 and share their responses here:info@adoptiontaxcredit.org.
For more advocacy tips visit: https://adoptiontaxcredit.org/advocate
Call to Action: Initial Emails to Your Members of Congress – Figure out who your three Members of Congress (2 Senators and 1 Representative) are by using senate.gov and house.gov. Using their websites, figure out the best way to contact each of them (often it will be through an email or a form on their website). Email each of them and explain the importance of adoption and ask for their support in protecting the credit. Use our sample template letter (here) as a starting point, but be sure to personalize it. Speak from the heart and share your story about why the ATC is important to children, your family, or others in your life. Provide the link to www.adoptiontaxcredit.org in your email so they can find additional information.