WASHINGTON, D.C. – Across North Dakota and the nation, adoption advocates recognize November as National Adoption Month. To celebrate, the National Council For Adoption (NCFA) held its Adoption Hall of Fame ceremony to honor individuals “who have made significant contributions to building a culture that supports all members of the adoption constellation.”
NCFA awarded U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) with the Friend of Adoption Award to recognize his commitment and contributions to the cause of adoption. Cramer and his wife, Kris, are adoptive parents, and he has described adoption as “one of the greatest joys of my life.”
Cramer shepherded through a provision in the Working Families Tax Cuts bill this past summer to restore partial refundability of the Adoption Tax Credit (ATC) for the first time since 2011, easing the financial cost of adoption and supporting prospective and adoptive families. As of September, significant changes to the tax credit’s refundability have already taken effect for tax year 2025 to provide relief for lower- and middle-income families. To ensure the successful administration of the restored ATC this tax filing season, Cramer and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption co-chairs sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service urging the administration to work together to improve the process, so families can effectively utilize the credit.
In a strong show of the bipartisanship inherent in adoption advocacy, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced Cramer at the ceremony and presented him with the NCFA’s Friend of Adoption Award. Klobuchar and Cramer serve as co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption.
Cramer highlighted his relationship with Klobuchar in his remarks, explaining how their shared commitment to supporting adoption in Congress has led to partnering on other bipartisan issues.
“Adoption unites us because children are worth uniting for,” said Cramer. “It’s really an honor to receive the National Council For Adoption’s Friend of Adoption Award. Being able to work on behalf of adoption, this cause that matters so much, is a great joy.”
Cramer and Klobuchar frequently partner on adoption legislation, like the Supporting Adopted Children and Families Act to expand eligible uses of federal adoption funding, and the Safe Home Act to spread awareness of the practice of unregulated custody transfers. The co-chairs also passed this year’s National Adoption Month and Day Resolution designating November as National Adoption Month and November 22 as National Adoption Day, encouraging Americans to prioritize the safety, permanency, and welfare of all children.