Moratorium Sought Against U.S. Adoptions

A senior lawmaker called for a moratorium on U.S. citizens adopting children from Russia, escalating a campaign against foreign adoptions triggered by the deaths of Russian children in the United States.

Yekaterina Lakhova, chairwoman of a parliamentary committee that oversees adoption legislation, urged restrictions on countries where adopted children have been abused.

She did not name the United States but noted that 13 Russian children had been killed there in recent years. Children’s advocates assailed her initiative, saying a moratorium would harm those waiting to be adopted.