A ban could soon be put in place that would halt the adoptions of Russian born children by Americans.
Russia's Upper Government approved the bill on Wednesday, and it's now up to President Vladimir Putin to sign it. If that happens, 46 american adoptions will fall through.
President Putin's spokesman says he'll decide in the next couple of weeks whether he'll sign the adoption ban. The ban would prohibit Americans from adopting Russian children. In some cases, adoptions that already have been authorized, will be revoked.
Putin has said the ban is a legitimate response to a new U.S. law, calling for sanctions against people in Russia found to be violating human rights.
But those against the ban say it only hurts children, denying them the chance to escape Russian orphanages.
UNICEF says there are about 740,000 kids without parents in Russia. Americans have adopted 60,000 Russian children in the last two decades. Ban supporters say it will protect children.
The bill is named after a Russian toddler adopted by Americans who died in 2008, after he was left in a car in excessive heat for hours. Last year, a York County couple was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and other charges for the death of their 7-year-old son Nathaniel.
The boy was adopted from Russia and prosecutors said his death was caused by severe abuse and neglect by his Carroll Township parents Nanette and Michael Craver.
Russia's Upper Government approved the bill on Wednesday, and it's now up to President Vladimir Putin to sign it. If that happens, 46 american adoptions will fall through.
President Putin's spokesman says he'll decide in the next couple of weeks whether he'll sign the adoption ban. The ban would prohibit Americans from adopting Russian children. In some cases, adoptions that already have been authorized, will be revoked.
Putin has said the ban is a legitimate response to a new U.S. law, calling for sanctions against people in Russia found to be violating human rights.
But those against the ban say it only hurts children, denying them the chance to escape Russian orphanages.
UNICEF says there are about 740,000 kids without parents in Russia. Americans have adopted 60,000 Russian children in the last two decades. Ban supporters say it will protect children.
The bill is named after a Russian toddler adopted by Americans who died in 2008, after he was left in a car in excessive heat for hours. Last year, a York County couple was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and other charges for the death of their 7-year-old son Nathaniel.
The boy was adopted from Russia and prosecutors said his death was caused by severe abuse and neglect by his Carroll Township parents Nanette and Michael Craver.