Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann has
refused to include LGBT families in an adoption resolution.
In an email sent to supporters, New
York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who is raising three adopted children
with his partner Randy Florke, wrote that Bachmann is “intentionally
excluding families like mine” from the resolution.
Bachmann, a Republican, and California
Rep. Karen Bass, a Democrat, introduced the
resolution in support of National Adoption Month on November 14.
“My husband and I were privileged to
raise five biological children as well as open our home to 23 foster
children,” said Bachmann in a press release. “Family plays such
an important role in shaping who we are, and there is no replacement
for a stable upbringing. Every child needs to know that at least one
person is crazy about them. I look forward to working with my
colleagues in the Congressional Adoption and Foster Youth Caucuses
during National Adoption Month and throughout the year to encourage
new advocacy on behalf of America's 'forgotten children.'”
In a letter to Bachmann dated October
30, Maloney, a Democrat, asked for her “to recognize the
contributions of LGBT families with adoptive children” in the
resolution.
Maloney said that Bachmann's office
refused.
“As a father of three adopted
children, I couldn't agree with her more. So I reached out to Rep.
Bachmann to ask her to add language supporting all adoptive families,
including families with two dads and two moms. … She refused,”
Maloney wrote to supporters.
A spokesman for Bachmann told BuzzFeed:
“The resolution honoring National Adoption Month is a bipartisan
effort sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans. The focus of the
resolution is on helping vulnerable children, as has always been the
case when we have introduced it in previous years.”