Pro-Life Groups Slam Plan to Get Rid of the Adoption Tax Credit

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Nov 7, 2017   |   12:27PM   |   Washington, DC

Adoption is a wonderful alternative to abortion and a beautiful thing in and of itself — as adoptive families look to provide loving homes for children in need.

Sadly the adoption process is fraught with extensive paperwork, bureaucratic hoops and hurdles, and a tremendous expense that is often challenging for most families.

That’s why pro-life organizations are speaking out today against a part of the Republican tax plan that involves getting rid of the adoption tax credit. While the idea obviously saves money for the federal government, pro-life Advocates argue that surely there are better places to save money than helping adoptive families in need.

In a letter to members of the House of Representatives today, the National Right to Life Committee outlined the objections.

“The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the nationwide federation of state right-to-life organizations, urges you urges you to retain the adoption tax credit (section 1102(b)) as well as the exclusion for adoption assistance programs (section 1406) as you consider H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017,” NRLC wrote, according to the letter provided to LifeNews.

“Adoption affirms the unborn child’s right to life, allowing each baby to enter the world as a blessing for another family.  While in effect, the adoption tax credit has served as an effective way to encourage adoption by easing the often steep financial expense that can be incurred by adopting a child,” NRLC continued. “The pro-life movement has long promoted adoption as an alternative for single mothers facing crisis pregnancy situations as well, offering them a viable alternative if they are unable or unwilling to raise their children themselves.”

“We urge you to retain the adoption tax credit in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.  National Right to Life believes that Congress ought to remove financial barriers to adoption, not create them,” it added.

Tom McClusky, President of March for Life Action, echoed those concerns in anemail to supporters of the March for Life that LifeNews recevied.

During National Adoption Awareness Month, we are reflecting on the importance of adoption as a loving, and life-saving alternative to abortion.

Here are a few statistics for 2014, the latest year we have data:

* 926,190 abortions in the United States.
* 110,373 adoptions in the United States.
* 18,329 of the total adoptions were infant adoptions.

Those statistics are heart-breaking. We must do all that we can do to reverse the trend, and to encourage women facing an unexpected pregnancy to choose life and consider adoption as a noble and selfless possibility.

PRO-LIFE COLLEGE STUDENT? LifeNews is looking for interns interested in writing, social media, or video creation. Contact us today.

At the March for Life we want to encourage and support families who are considering adopting a child. But sadly, the current tax reform proposal introduced by House Republicans eliminates the adoption tax credit.

With costs associated with adoption at $40,000 or more, the adoption tax credit has been utilized by thousands of families. According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, “many American families take advantage of the credit yearly, with nearly 74,000 tax returns claiming the credit in 2014. The average credit claimed that year was $4,802, which totaled $355.1 million in relief for adoptive families.”

Adoption is a noble decision that opens the door to a loving family for thousands of children every year.

Families who choose adoption should be encouraged! But the removal of the adoption tax credit from the tax code will adversely affect families seeking to adopt.

Adoption is a critically important pro-life effort, and the adoption tax credit is a significant government policy to encourage and enable it. Please take action today by asking your Congressman and Senators to keep the Adoption Tax Credit in any tax reform legislation.

The discussion comes as President Trump just celebrated Adoption Month.

In a November 3rd 2017 proclamation regarding National Adoption Month, President Trump wrote, “Adoption is a life-changing and life-affirming act that signals that no child in America — born or unborn — is unwanted or unloved….We must continue to remove barriers to adoption whenever we can, so that the love and care of prospective adoptive parents can be directed to children waiting for their permanent homes.”