FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

SEC. 552. [42 U.S.C. 5115a note] FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings.—The Congress finds that— (1) nearly 500,000 children are in foster care in the United States; (2) tens of thousands of children in foster care are waiting for adoption; (3) 2 years and 8 months is the median length of time that children wait to be adopted; (4) child welfare agencies should work to eliminate racial, ethnic, and national origin discrimination and bias in adoption and foster care recruitment, selection, and placement procedures; and (5) active, creative, and diligent efforts are needed to recruit foster and adoptive parents of every race, ethnicity, and culture in order to facilitate the placement of children in foster and adoptive homes which will best meet each child's needs. (b) Purpose.—It is the purpose of this subpart to promote the best interests of children by— (1) decreasing the length of time that children wait to be adopted; (2) preventing discrimination in the placement of children on the basis of race, color, or national origin; and (3) facilitating the identification and recruitment of foster and adoptive families that can meet children's needs.