DETROIT — Families are the backbone of a strong society and Michigan’s families received extra protection in December 2010 with the passage of the ‘Amer Act,’ or HB 4118, which gives special consideration to families and to religious similarities in foster care cases. 

After a meeting with U.S. Rep John Conyers (D-Detroit) this past week, the hope is that a national bill can be passed to extend the same protections and benefits to families across the country. 

Conyers is in the process of drafting a national bill similar to the act according to Senior Counsel and Advisor Isaac Robinson of his office, a process that began with a meeting at the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Michigan’s recent annual banquet, where Dearborn’s Amer family was honored for their long fight to pass the bill and a video was shown chronicling their family’s struggle and injustices faced by the system. The meeting was requested by ACRL Executive Director Rashid Baydoun and the organization’s founder Nabih Ayad according to Robinson and Rehab Amer, who fought for the original act’s passage. Amer said that ADC-MI and CAIR-MI are also on board among other organizations which could help the bill’s chances of succeeding. Amer said that community input and comments are needed for support as well to Conyers’ office. 

“I feel that since the Amer Act was passed into law we’ve had so many calls and emails from out of state wanting to know if it could help them,” Rehab Amer said. “I let them know what they could do to have it become adopted in their states,” she said. The recent meeting has now given her the opportunity to help push for a potential nationwide passage to help residents of those other states. 

“We want every child’s cry of innocence to be heard, I’ve felt like that was my mission so no one else has to go through the pain and overwhelming mental abuse caused by the loss of their children.” 

There is no current timetable for the bill; Conyers’ office can be reached at 202.225.5126 in Washington or 313.961.5670 in Detroit.