Kennedy encourages families to consider adoption: “We can’t forget about the teens living in foster care”

Watch Kennedy's comments here.

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) issued a statement today to encourage families to learn more about the foster care system in America. He noted that most children available for adoption in America today are teenagers living in foster care, and he called on parents to consider whether they could provide a home for a teen in need.

Key excerpts of Kennedy statement are below:

"Many of the children waiting for adoption are teens. In fact, infants younger than one month old account for 62% of all domestic adoptions in our country, despite being just 2% of children eligible for adoption in our foster care system. The other 98% of these kids and teens in foster care are not even considered by most couples seeking adoption."

. . .

"I want to be clear: All adoptions-each and every adoption-all adoptions are worth celebrating, especially adoptions of infants. The mothers who gave birth to these children stand strong in the face of a culture that tells them abortion is the easy way out, and these courageous women choose life instead. It's one of the most honorable things that a mother could do. But we can't forget about the teens living in foster care.

"Now, the government can't fix this problem. We can't. Moms and dads can. And we need moms and dads across this country to try to step up and fix this problem. So, I just wanted to take a minute today to encourage parents in America to think about becoming foster parents. There's no higher calling. Pray about it. And if you are in Louisiana, visit the Department of Children & Family Services website, or you can reach out to Unite Foster Care Ministries to learn more about the foster care process and system.

"A country is only as strong as its people. And a country's people are only as strong as their families. So, let's do all we can to ensure that every kid in America-every single one-has a family to call their own."

Watch Kennedy's remarks here.