So, as I told you in part one of this post, the U.S. National Central Bureau of Interpol has stopped processing background checks on U.S. adoption agencies. Russia's Ministry of Justice needs this information to complete the accreditation of these agencies, so that they, in turn may complete the adoption of thousands of children now in Russian orphanages.

Now what?

One agency awaiting re-accreditation told me that the MoJ indicated that it would allow agencies to submit directly background checks from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sounds like problem solved, right? Well unfortunately, that opinion was expressed right before the government of Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov was dissolved and replaced with a government headed by Viktor Zubkov. And while many officials of the old government found seats in the new government, there is no clear indication that the new government will show the same enlightenment as the old one.

Here's what I think has to happen now. You can, as I suggested in the first post, call Mr. Renkiewicz. The main number at USNBC is (202) 616-9000. But there has to be pressure put on from above and unfortunately, there is a vacancy right now at the top of the U.S. Department of Justice, USNCB's parent agency.

So every one of you, and every person who is pulling for your adoption, needs to write a letter to a U.S. senator asking that senator to demand that USNCB complete the mission it was originally assigned. You can find your own senator here. But there is a key list of 19 senators who serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is holding hearings right now on a new U.S. Attorney General. If your senator is one of them, consider making a call to his or her office too.

Here's a sample letter to get you started:

Dear Senator:

I am a prospective adoptive parent residing in your state. For many months, I have been awaiting the re-accreditation of my adoption agency by the Russian government. Thirteen agencies have been re-accredited, but mine was not among them and the reason appears to lie with U.S. National Central Bureau of Interpol.

USNCB, which is part of the Department of Justice, has stopped processing background checks on U.S. adoption agencies that are needed by Russia's Ministry of Justice. USNCB has reportedly indicated to Russia that handling these background checks is not part of its mission. But the agency's own mission statement seems to say otherwise. It lists, as its first major function, to "Transmit information of a criminal justice, humanitarian, or other law enforcement related nature between National Central Bureaus of INTERPOL member countries and law enforcement agencies of the United States." Adoption is clearly something that is humanitarian in nature.

I urge you now on behalf of the child that I am seeking to adopt, to contact USNCB Director Martin Renkiewicz and demand that USNCB complete the adoption agency background checks.

Sincerely,

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