Russian Duma Approves Ban on US Adoptions

The lower house of Russia's parliament today gave its final approval to a bill that would prevent Americans from adopting Russian children, amidst a number of other sanctions on the US. Though the adoption ban idea has been floating around for almost a year, the bill is widely seen as retaliation against a law President Obama signed last Friday imposing restrictions on Russian human rights abusers, CNN reports.

The Russian bill is named after a 2-year-old boy who was adopted by American parents only to die in their care—much as the US bill is named after a Russian lawyer who died in a Moscow detention center after uncovering massive tax fraud by government officials. The Russian bill will now go to the Federation Council, and if approved there, to Vladimir Putin for signature. The bill, which could impact hundreds of American families looking to adopt in Russia, "is frankly a childish response," says one Amnesty International official.