PHOTOS: Young Meets with Ethiopian Ambassador to Continue Advocacy for Hoosier Adoptions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) today met with Kassa Tekleberhan Gebrehiwot, Ethiopia’s new Ambassador to the United States, in order to continue advocating for Hoosier families with pending adoptions in Ethiopia.

Senator Young, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has led successful efforts on Capitol Hill to help Americans complete adoptions of children from Ethiopia. Last year, after Senator Young raised the issue with the former Ethiopian Ambassador in phone calls, directed staff to maintain regular contact with the embassy, highlighted the issue in a hearing with a top Department of State official, and led a letter signed by 122 members of Congress, a Hoosier family was finally able to welcome their son home. 

“I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with the new Ethiopian Ambassador today, and I asked for his help to complete these remaining adoptions and unite families that have been separated for too long,” Senator Young said.

Last year, Senator Young led two bipartisan, bicameral letters to the Ethiopian Prime Minister—each signed by dozens of members of Congress.  Young sent the first letter in May and second letter in December.

Senator Young with Ambassador Kassa Tekleberhan Gebrehiwot

From left to right: Ambassador Kassa Tekleberhan Gebrehiwot, Senator Young, and a staff member from the Ethiopian Embassy 

Ambassador Kassa Tekleberhan Gebrehiwot shakes hands with Senator Young