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History

In 1985, a committed group of Members of Congress, including U.S. Senators Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) and Gordon Humphrey (R-NH) and U.S. Representatives Tom Bliley (R-VA) and Jim Oberstar (D-MN), discovered they had a common goal – to live in a world where every child had a permanent, safe and loving family to call their own. They also found that their shared commitment to eliminating the barriers that hinder children from realizing this basic right to a family was one that transcended party lines and geographic borders. Dedicated to making a difference, these members united to form the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) caucus. In 1998, the CCA caucus leaders* hired a full-time fellow, Kerry Marks Hasenbalg, who worked in the U.S. Senate to carry out the important work of the CCA.

In 2001, the four CCA co-chairs and Kerry Marks Hasenbalg created CCAI. 

*U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Larry Craig (R-ID), and U.S. Representatives Tom Bliley (R-VA) and Jim Oberstar (D-MN).