As an adoptive parent, I fully understand the joys and potential heartaches which can accompany the process of adopting and raising a child as well as the vital role adoption agencies play in helping facilitate this process. Having had the opportunity to communicate with our adopted daughter's biological mother when our daughter became an adult, I also understand the need for biological parents who choose adoption to trust the agency to place their child with adoptive parents who share their values and religious beliefs. I applaud the fact that the state of Virginia has thus far respected these values and the constitutionally protected right of all citizens to freedom of conscience in regard to regulations placed on adoption agencies. Based on my experiences as a parent and physician, I strongly urge that the current regulations be retained so as to comply with the state and US constitution in this regard. To do otherwise would be to trample on the rights of both adoptive and biological parents as well as agencies which have faithfully and exceptionally worked to provide adoption services for decades and would likely have the unintended consequence of forcing many to choose between adoption and other tragic alternatives to adoption should faith based agencies be forced out of the adoption process altogether.