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Families urge resumption of adoptions from Congo

By WTOP Staff

DAVID CRARY
AP National Writer

With the president of Congo coming to Washington for a U.S.-Africa summit, hundreds of frustrated American families are hoping he can be persuaded to lift a suspension that has stalled their efforts to adopt children from his troubled country for the past 10 months.

The families and their many supporters in Congress are urging President Barack Obama to intervene by raising the issue now with Congolese President Joseph Kabila and then pressing for action when Kabila arrives in Washington along with dozens of other African leaders for the Aug. 4-6 summit.

The pressure campaign has included a call-in to the White House phone line Wednesday by the affected families and their allies, as well as a letter sent to Obama last week by 167 members of Congress requesting his intervention.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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