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May 19, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7432) to amend section 477 of the Social Security Act to improve coordination with Federal housing assistance programs for youth who have experienced foster care, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7432
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Fostering the Future Act”.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED
FOSTER CARE.
Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(5), by striking “aged out of foster
care” and inserting “experienced foster care at age 14 or
older”;
(2) in subsection (h)(2), by striking “age out of foster
care” and inserting “experience foster care at age 14 or
older”;
(3) in each of subsections (a)(6) and (i)(2), by striking
“16” and inserting “14”;
(4) in subsection (i)(3), by striking “in no event may a
youth participate in the program for more than 5 years
(whether or not consecutive)” and inserting “may not allow
a youth to participate in the program for more than 5 years
(or, in the case of a youth who was involved in a remedial
education activity referred to in paragraph (4)(B), for more
than 6 years), whether or not consecutive”;
(5) in subsection (i)(4)—
(A) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
“(A) may be available for the cost of attendance—
“(i) at an institution of higher education, as defined in
section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, including a
community college or postsecondary vocational institution; or
“(ii) at a short-term training program that is eligible
for the Workforce Pell program under section 401(k), as
described in section 481(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(b)(3)), as added by section 83002(b) of
Public Law 119-21;”;
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A), as so amended, the
following:
“(B) may be available for costs—
“(i) associated with participation in an apprenticeship
program;
“(ii) to obtain a general equivalency degree; or
“(iii) to receive remedial education; and”; and
(6) in subsection (i), by adding at the end the following:
“(7) In this section, the term `remedial education' means
education or skill training needed to support obtaining a
high school diploma or qualifying for postsecondary
education, training, or an apprenticeship that is—
“(A) not already available through the school district of
the student or another free local, State, or Federal program;
and
“(B) is provided by an instructor with credentials
relevant to the subject area of instruction, as determined by
the State.”.
SEC. 3. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM EDUCATION AND TRAINING VOUCHER
AMOUNT AND PROVISION OF GREATER SUPPORT FOR
FOSTER YOUTH PURSUING POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.
(a) In General.—Section 477(i) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 677(i)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (3)—
(A) by striking “that program” and inserting “that
education or training program, (except that the State may
establish a grace period to allow a youth to continue
participation in activities described in paragraph (4)(A),
after an assessment and consultation with the youth, if the
State determines that reasonable circumstances warrant the
grace period)”; and
(B) by striking “the program” and inserting “the voucher
program”; and
(2) in paragraph (4)(C) (as so redesignated by section
2(5)(C) of this Act), by striking “$5,000” and inserting
“$12,000”.
(b) Guidance.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services,
in consultation with youth who have experienced foster care,
shall develop and issue model guidance to States and
jurisdictions receiving allotments under section 477(c) of
the Social Security
Act for implementation of the amendment made by subsection
(a)(1) of this section.
SEC. 4. IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY AND YOUTH AWARENESS OF
EDUCATION AND TRAINING VOUCHERS.
(a) In General.—Section 477(i) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 677(i)), as amended by section 2(6) of this Act,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(8) The State shall make reasonable efforts to ensure
that eligible youth are aware of potential benefits provided
under this subsection, including by coordinating with
programs funded under subsection (h)(1).
“(9) The program shall include a simplified, user-tested,
and standard form for youth to use to apply for vouchers
under the program, using standard terminology, that is easily
accessible and available electronically.”.
(b) Use of Funds.—Section 477(d)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
677(d)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
“(1) In general.—A State to which an amount is paid from
its allotment under subsection (c)(1) may use the amount in
any manner that is reasonably calculated to accomplish the
purposes of this section, including outreach related to
subsection (i)(8). A State to which an amount is paid from
its allotment under subsection (c)(3) may use the amount for
any purpose related to the program described in subsection
(i)(8).”.
SEC. 5. IMPROVING ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR FOSTER YOUTH.
Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1)—
(A) by striking “and preventive” and inserting
“preventive”; and
(B) by inserting “, and access to housing for youth age 18
or older” before the semicolon;
(2) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting “current and”
before “former”;
(3) in subsection (b)(2)(D), by inserting “, including by
collaborating with public housing agencies that administer
Federal housing programs serving foster youth under section
8(x)(2)(B) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 and
receive funding to partner with public child welfare agencies
to serve youth who have experienced foster care” before the
period;
(4) in subsection (b)(3)(B), by striking “not more than 30
percent of the amounts paid to the State from its allotment
under subsection (c) for a fiscal year” and inserting “an
average of not more than 30 percent of the amounts paid to
the State from its allotment under subsection (c) for the 5
fiscal years covered by the application submitted by the
State pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection”;
(5) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:
“(6) Housing supportive services.—
“(A) In general.—A State may use amounts from its
allotment under subsection (c) to provide supportive services
to assist eligible youth who experienced foster care to
obtain or retain suitable housing.
“(B) Definitions.—
“(i) Eligible youth.—In this subsection, the term
`eligible youth' means an individual who receives assistance
provided under section 8(x) of the United States Housing Act
of 1937.
“(ii) Supportive services.—The term `supportive services'
may include—
“(I) basic life skills information and counseling on
financial literacy, use of credit, and money management;
“(II) counseling on rental lease contracts and assistance
with rental insurance; and
“(III) assistance with security deposits, utility
connection fees, moving costs, and other fees associated with
establishing tenancy.
“(C) Exception.—Expenditures in accordance with this
paragraph shall not be considered expenditures for room and
board for purposes of subsection (b)(3)(B).
“(D) Aligning age eligibility.—Notwithstanding subsection
(b)(3)(A)(ii), a State may use funds from its allotment under
subsection (c) to provide supportive services to eligible
youth who have not attained 26 years of age for the purpose
of supporting continued access to housing.”; and
(6) in subsection (g)(1), by inserting “access to
housing,” before “and personal”.
SEC. 6. JOINT AGENCY GUIDANCE.
(a) In General.—Within 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,
shall develop and issue joint guidance to State public child
welfare agencies and public housing authorities to improve
alignment and coordination of housing supportive services
provided under section 477 of the Social Security Act and
housing assistance provided under section 8(x) of the United
States Housing Act of 1937.
(b) Contents.—The joint guidance shall include the
following:
(1) Clarification and alignment of Federal policies to
improve access to housing for youth who have experienced
foster care, including youth who are in independent living
arrangements while in extended foster care.
(2) Guidance on State use of funds provided under section
477 of the Social Security Act for supportive services (as
defined in subsection (d)(6) of such section) to improve
access to housing programs administered by the Department of
Housing and Urban Development.
(3) Best practices for building partnerships between public
child welfare agencies and public housing authorities,
including ways to improve access to supportive services.
(4) Additional information the Secretaries deem necessary
to effectively coordinate Federal programs serving current
and former foster youth.
(c) Production.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall designate an official of the Department of Health and
Human Services to lead development of the joint guidance in
collaboration with the Department of Housing and Urban
Development.
SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Within 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation
with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall
submit to the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee
on Financial Services of the House of Representatives, and
the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a report that sets
forth—
(1) aggregate data on the number of eligible youth who have
experienced foster care who are receiving Federal housing
assistance;
(2) a description of the outcomes for the youth, including
the extent to which youth are able to access stable housing
and rates of homelessness;
(3) the findings from any evaluations of State programs
conducted pursuant to section 477(g)(1) of the Social
Security Act; and
(4) statutory recommendations for improving coordination
between public child welfare agencies and Federal housing
programs.
SEC. 8. LEGAL CONSULTING AND ACCESS UNDER THE JOHN H. CHAFEE
FOSTER CARE PROGRAM FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION
TO ADULTHOOD.
Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting “legal counseling
access,” after “education,”; and
(2) in subsection (b)(3), by adding at the end the
following:
“(L) A certification by the chief executive officer of the
State that the relevant case planning and other processes
employed by the State take into consideration certain legal
issues affecting housing, education, entry into employment,
and family connections of current and former foster youth and
the efforts required to address the issues, including with
respect to State court records, legal recognition of family
relationships, and matters relating to custody and
permanency.”.
SEC. 9. ENSURING EXPECTANT AND PARENTING YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO
SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH THE MATERNAL, INFANT,
AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING PROGRAM.
(a) Purpose.—Section 477(a) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 677(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (6), by striking “and”;
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period and inserting
“; and”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(8) to connect foster youth in eligible families (as such
term is defined in section 511) who receive services under
this part with evidence-based home visiting and support
services provided under section 511.”.
(b) Applications.—Section 477(b)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
677(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(M) A certification by the chief executive officer of the
State that the State has processes in place to ensure that a
youth participating in the program under this section who is
in an eligible family (as such term is defined in section
511) is provided with information regarding evidence-based
home visiting and support services provided in the State
under section 511.”.
SEC. 10. TAILORED CASE MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCE COORDINATION
SERVICES FOR PARENTING AND EXPECTANT YOUTH WHO
HAVE EXPERIENCED FOSTER CARE.
Section 477(d)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
677(d)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
“(1) In general.—A State to which an amount is paid from
its allotment under subsection (c)(1) may use the amount—
“(A) to provide tailored case management and resource
coordination services to youth otherwise eligible for
services under the State program under this section who are
expectant or parenting; or
“(B) in any manner that is reasonably calculated to
accomplish the purposes of this section.”.
SEC. 11. UPDATING THE PURPOSES OF THE JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER
CARE PROGRAM FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO
ADULTHOOD.
(a) Updating of Purposes.—Section 477(a) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677(a)), as amended by section
9(a)(3) of this Act, is amended—
(1) by striking paragraph (2);
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (3) through (8) as
paragraphs (3) through (9), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after “conducted—” the following:
“(1) to help children who have experienced foster care at
age 14 or older to develop and maintain sustained, supportive
relationships with adults (including kin or fictive kin who
are not serving as placement), mentors, and peers (including
peers who have experienced foster care), with a goal of
providing multiple and varied paths to reduce isolation and
ensuring that the youth develop lifelong connections and
support networks;
“(2) to support youth still in foster care who have
experienced foster care at age 14 or
older in exercising the rights referred to in section 475A to
participate in developing their permanency plan and receive
written information about available services and steps the
agency is taking to support the plan, as well as to
facilitate pre- and post-permanency peer support, mentoring,
connections with kin, and referrals to additional appropriate
programs and services to help youth achieve their permanency
goals;”.
(b) Guidance.—Within 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act and after consulting with youth with
lived experience in foster care, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall issue guidance to States and Tribal
child welfare agencies regarding the purposes set forth in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 477(a) of the Social
Security Act, that includes, at a minimum—
(1) examples of services and support eligible for Federal
funding under part B of title IV of such Act, under part E of
such title as part of completing and following the case plan
requirements provided for in section 475A of such Act, or
under section 477 of such Act, including individual youth
support, family support, and peer support to engage youth
during reunification, guardianship, or adoption proceedings;
(2) best practices for facilitating peer support,
mentoring, and the development and maintenance of lifelong
connections, including practices that support sibling,
tribal, and community connections, including minimum
qualifications and training for persons providing mentoring
and peer support;
(3) standards of outreach to and notification of eligible
youth, including youth with a planned permanent living
arrangement, to ensure referrals to appropriate programs and
services; and
(4) protocols for documentation of support and
relationship-building activities under section 477 of such
Act that are required by section 475A of such Act to be
included in a child's case plan, sufficient to permit review
under the case review system described in section 475(5) of
such Act.
SEC. 12. EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) In General.—Except as otherwise provided in this Act,
this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take
effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(b) Delayed Permitted if State Legislation Required.—If
the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that
State legislation (other than legislation appropriating
funds) is required in order for a State plan under section
477 of the Social Security Act to meet the additional
requirements imposed by the amendments made by sections 5(3),
5(4), 8(2), and 9(b) of this Act, the plan shall not be
regarded as failing to meet any of the additional
requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter
beginning after the first regular session of the State
legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of
this Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, if the
State has a 2-year legislative session, each year of the
session is deemed to be a separate regular session of the
State legislature.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on this bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
{time} 1440
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act, bipartisan legislation led by my Ways and Means Committee colleagues, Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood, and Congresswoman Gwen Moore.
This is a historic moment for this committee and this House. What we have before us is the first comprehensive modernization of the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood since its creation in 1999, nearly three decades ago.
country. Before I came to Congress, I served as an attorney for neglected and abused children and have seen firsthand the challenges so many of these youth face.
Every year, nearly 16,000 foster youth age out of the system. Nearly 35 percent experience homelessness by age 21, and 70 percent are expectant or parenting by age 21, double the national average. Only 56 percent obtain full- or part-time employment, and possibly as few as 69 percent earn a high school diploma or GED. This is a system in desperate need of attention and reform.
independence in adulthood. Following committee hearings and direct consultation with youth who spoke about their personal and real-world experiences, the Ways and Means Committee thoughtfully wrote these reforms designed to improve outcomes for our Nation's transitioning foster youth.
Trump, who has been an outstanding champion for foster youth through her Fostering the Future initiative. Truly, she is a voice for the voiceless.
Lady and foster youth leaders who have actually lived through this system. I am proud that this bill codifies key priorities from the Fostering the Future of American Children and Families executive order championed by the First Lady, ensuring that these reforms are here to stay.
Seth, a 21-year-old from my district in Missouri, this bill improves connections to housing programs so foster youth aren't left to age out onto the streets.
and Representative Gwen Moore championed this provision to ensure housing stability remains in reach for young adults during a very vulnerable time as they transition to independence.
from Texas, who spoke at our roundtable about the importance of increasing the value of the education and training voucher. Thanks to the leadership of another Texan, Representative Moran, and Representative Chu, foster youth will now have greater academic support when pursuing a postsecondary education.
education and training voucher program, with feedback from youth like Kimberley in Missouri and Raven in Ohio, so young people can pursue short-term workforce programs and apprenticeship opportunities to earn a high-paying job or receive remedial education to earn their high school diploma, reforms prioritized by Representatives Max Miller from Ohio and Dwight Evans from Pennsylvania.
connections to family and face unique barriers that can make transitioning into independence difficult. We heard directly from a foster youth from Chairman LaHood and Ranking Member Davis' home State of Illinois, Jocelyn Fettering, who shared with us at our roundtable the importance of improving access to legal services.
initiative from Representatives Yakym and Davis to connect expectant and parenting foster youth with evidence-based maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting services.
predecessor, the late Jackie Walorski, leveraging existing resources to help these young adults build healthy, stable families.
Moore updates the core mission of the Chafee program to prioritize lifelong connections, mentors, and permanent support networks. Representative Carey has been incredibly outspoken about the importance of mentorship, and this step ensures these young people have real-world relationships to help them achieve lasting independence.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act, which includes six separate pieces of legislation that were unanimously passed by the Ways and Means Committee.
a last resort, something we should only do at times when there is no way to keep a child safe at home.
trauma, and to our shame, many experience additional trauma while in our care.
Congress has been listening to youth who experienced foster care, learning from them, and trying to make sure we do better in the future.
us enact historic legislation to improve foster care for those who come after them. Former foster youth informed and supported our work to help more children leave foster care to live with their grandparents and other family members, and with the supports they needed in the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act.
address substance use disorders and mental health challenges. So, first, we created regional partnerships grants to bring child welfare, substance abuse treatment providers, and law enforcement together.
Services Act, which made Federal funding just as available to stabilize families as it is to separate them.
children are being harmed in group homes and inappropriate placements, so that we can improve our enforcement of laws that are supposed to protect them.
youth themselves experienced. Every year, about 20,000 young people age out of foster care, never having found a permanent family. Other older youth do exit to live safely with their parents or in loving kinship or adoptive homes, but the trauma and disruption they experienced still puts them at a significant disadvantage compared to their peers.
{time} 1450
school or pursue higher education, more likely to struggle with untreated mental health issues and trauma, more likely to experience homelessness, more likely to become young parents, and more likely to face legal challenges.
Senator John Chafee after his death, was created to help current and former foster youth transition to successful adulthood.
keep up with inflation, and its purposes and rules for States have only been sporadically updated to keep pace with our understanding of adolescent brain development, fix policies that don't work well, and make sure that former foster youth navigate adulthood with the help of people who love them.
youth who are eligible for Chafee services receive any help, and many of the services youth need the most are not available, don't work well with other sources of help, or are hard to access.
colleagues on Ways and Means to find true common ground on policies affecting older youth who are, or were, in foster care.
I commend my friend, Mr. LaHood, for a bipartisan process that should be a model for all of our work, a sincere, thoughtful collaboration where we both talked and listened. This collaborative process yielded six separate pieces of legislation that reflect real agreement about steps that will help youth. Our work was further strengthened by support from First Lady Melania Trump, who has also been listening carefully to youth about what they need.
were passed by Ways and Means and then combined into one bill for consideration today. Their thoughtful proposals generated hundreds of endorsements by organizations representing foster youth, families, child welfare agencies, and experts like pediatricians and family law practitioners.
Housing Opportunity Act, which would improve foster youth access to section 8 housing vouchers and make it easier for Chafee programs to provide housing support to foster youth. Housing is a foundation of stable adult life, and our current policies are preventing the Chafee program from doing as much as it can and should.
Youth Postsecondary Education Access and Success Act, which would increase the potential amount of Chafee education and training vouchers from $5,000 to $12,000, provide better opportunities for youth who are struggling to retain their vouchers, and provide more financing options for Chafee voucher outreach.
that Chafee would help them pay for college until it was too late, and others told us that the way the vouchers were limited made them almost impossible to use.
bigger, more effective effort to help foster youth go to college and build careers in the future.
Foster Youth Workforce Opportunity Act, which would ensure that foster youth could use Chafee education vouchers for high quality training programs and apprenticeships, as well as college, and would ensure that they have the skills and qualifications to be accepted into the colleges or training programs they choose.
LaHood. It would help foster youth transition to adulthood by providing better access to resources to address legal challenges affecting housing, education, employment, and family conditions.
in 2021, Think of Us reports that 18 percent of all requests from transition-age youth are for help with legal services. A few of the issues include: housing stability and eviction defense; guardianship and custody, especially for youth informally caring for relatives; needs of expectant and parenting youth; reentry into extended care; legal issues; and education and disability advocacy.
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, for raising the issue of urgent legal issues.
for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act, which requires States to refer expectant and parenting foster youth for Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting, or MIECHV, home visiting services and consider parenting status in case planning, building on the success Illinois and Indiana have had using targeted, intensive services to support young families.
the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee and as co-chair of the Congressional Foster Youth Caucus, Congresswoman Gwen Moore worked with Congressman Mike Carey on the CONNECT Act. Their bill updates the purposes of the Chafee program to help youth form and preserve meaningful, supportive, long-term relationships, which both youth and experts have identified as the key to a successful transition to adulthood.
that all of the challenges they face are surmountable if they have a family, a loving and trustworthy network of adults and peers that advises them, believes in them, and catches them when they stumble.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7432 and also to make voting for this bill just the first step in their efforts to help older youth who experienced foster care.
Notably, there is a critical need for more investment. Aside from during the pandemic, Congress has only increased Chafee funding by $3 million since its creation in 1999. The amount
impact of many of the bills we have considered in the House this Congress or a day at the Defense Department; yet, such funding could be life-changing for foster youth.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of these six bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), who is the sponsor of this legislation. Mr. LaHood, as the chairman of our Work and Welfare Subcommittee, has been a tireless champion for America's foster youth and a leader in advancing these long overdue reforms.
{time} 1500
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Foster Care Month, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act, a bill that would empower America's foster youth transitioning to adulthood. I thank Chairman Smith for his leadership and attention to these six bills. We would not be debating these bills today if it wasn't for him and his work.
system, often without permanent connections to families. This needs to be fixed.
priorities has been to modernize the Chafee Foster Care Program, which exclusively supports foster youth as they transition to adulthood.
report which found States have been returning millions of dollars of unused Chafee funds since 2007, despite the need from foster youth.
participated in hearings and listened to the youth with lived experience to develop proposals and ideas to modernize Chafee. I thank Ranking Member Danny Davis for his lifetime of work when it comes to foster care and his legacy in this space.
elevating America's foster youth through the Fostering the Future initiative has elevated these issues to the highest level of government. I commend the First Lady for her dedication and passion to these issues. There are many issues she could have championed, but she chose helping foster youth, and our country is better off because of it.
Last November, I was honored to join President Trump and Mrs. Trump as part of the signing of that historic executive order at the White House regarding fostering our future. Mrs. Trump also graciously joined a bipartisan group of Ways and Means members for a roundtable as we worked to develop these proposals.
to Chafee since its creation in 1999. It is comprised of six bills that together will improve access to stable housing, educational support, workforce training, legal services, and home visiting programs for expectant and parenting foster youth.
Act, which I introduced with my Democrat colleague, Gwen Moore of Wisconsin. Thirty-five percent of foster youth experience homelessness compared to just 4 percent of the general population. This bill improves coordination between Chafee and Federal housing programs to expand access to vouchers.
I joined with my friend Danny Davis in introducing, to improve access to legal services for foster youth.
future success. These two specific bills will help our foster youth with future success. By passing the Fostering the Future Act, Congress can ensure that foster youth have the tools they need to achieve economic independence and long-term stability and success.
In closing, I again thank Chairman Smith, Mrs. Trump, and the bipartisan group of Ways and Means Committee members for their steadfast bipartisan collaboration in developing meaningful proposals to support America's foster youth.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I am so excited to join all of my colleagues on the floor today in support of Fostering the Future Act, the Chafee bill package that is the first modern improvement of the Chafee Act, as my colleagues have indicated, since 1999 when the program was created.
Dr. Danny Davis who will be retiring after this term. I thank him for his lifetime career of standing up for youth as a professional social worker and as a county board commissioner in Illinois.
Dr. Davis has been a longstanding leader, serving as both chair and ranking member of the subcommittee that deals with foster youth issues on Ways and Means. He has brought so much wisdom because of his long career to this that we are able to bring these bills to the floor. None of this would be possible without him. He is very humble, but I lift him up and thank him today.
Mr. Speaker, I also thank Chairman Jason Smith from Missouri and Ranking Member Neal. I really appreciate that Chairman Smith has really dug in deep representing these foster kids. I heard him today share with us that he, as a lawyer in Missouri, represented foster kids. I said to myself, aha, there it is. I knew it was something. This is completing a circle, and we appreciate his leadership at this time.
Carey have been great partners on the two bills that we have included in this package naming the Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act and the CONNECT Act.
United States has leaned into supporting our foster youth, how prescient and how purposeful is that. Hopefully, that will enable us to really fund these fantastic ideas that we are authorizing today.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be a co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth. We are going to have shadow day on June 10, so I am hoping that everyone will get their foster youth, and you will be surprised as you guide these foster youth through your day, in that you will learn more from them or as much from them as you may have to share with them.
meeting youth who have lived experience in the foster care system. So often I hear from these youth about their experiences in foster care, and although they are very resilient, the ones we get to talk to, they will tell you that as they age out of foster care, the likelihood of them becoming homeless and feeling abandoned is disproportionately great for this cohort.
Mr. Speaker, many report that they can't achieve permanency with an adoptive, foster, or kinship family. They don't feel like they have a trusted adult in their family to help them navigate the complexities of transitioning to adulthood.
when they are privileged, but imagine that you have been a foster youth trying to navigate the great big world all alone.
foster youth are facing, and I hope we can move forward in the future to help provide the funding again that will be needed.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin.
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, the Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act, which I co-lead with Chairman LaHood, would exempt housing
fees, from the 30 percent housing cap under Chafee. This will allow States the opportunity to provide more youth with rental and housing assistance.
Mr. Speaker, I also lift up the bill that I have with Mr. Carey called the CONNECT Act. It amends the statutory purposes of the Chafee program to help youth create meaningful connections with adults and build a lifelong support network as a core purpose of the Chafee program.
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Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Yakym).
Mr. YAKYM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for yielding me the time.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support the Fostering the Future Act, which will make meaningful changes to the Chafee program to better support foster youth and alleviate unnecessary challenges.
Youth Act, which I was proud to introduce with the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), my friend and the ranking member. This bill strengthens the coordination between the Chafee program and the Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting program, or MIECHV.
their peers. Navigating the foster youth system can be difficult enough, but adding the demands of parenting presents a special challenge for older foster youth who are also parents.
evidence-based home visiting services by improving program coordination and allowing for specialized case management.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank the ranking member, as well as Chairman LaHood for their support.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller).
Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act, a critical child welfare bill that will set foster youth up for success.
which I introduced to codify First Lady Melania Trump's Fostering the Future for America Children and Families executive order.
employment in adulthood. People would think that the severity of this crisis would mean that the Federal programming designed to support foster youth would actually give this group of individuals lots of pathways to success, but they would be wrong.
only be used for 4-year degrees. I have heard from foster youths who want to pursue trade schools or certifications instead, and my bill expands the career options available to them under this program. This will open doors to in-demand, high-paying jobs and give foster youth the tools they need to become self-sufficient and build a stable future.
term workforce training programs, as well as apprenticeships and remedial education activities needed to help foster youth earn a high school diploma or even a GED.
program funds since 2007. Over the past few years, my home State of Ohio has returned more than $1.6 million in unused funds due to statutory barriers—funds that could have helped foster youth. The Fostering the Future Act will help States like Ohio use their full Chafee allotments to ensure foster youth receive the critical support that they need.
Public Children Services Association of Ohio, the Ohio Youth Advisory Board, and hundreds of current and former foster youths across the country.
bipartisan bill that will deliver for our Nation's foster youth and set them up for a successful and a self-sufficient future.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Moran).
Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act. This important piece of legislation is a reflection of months of hard work by the members of the Committee on Ways and Means and staff.
empower current and former foster youth as they transition into adulthood.
Melania Trump focused on foster care, I had the privilege of hearing from Jayden Martinez, a student at Stephen F. Austin State University who came out of the foster care system. Hearing directly from Jayden reinforced something many of us already know: These young Americans are capable of extraordinary things when they are given the tools and the support they need to succeed.
The Fostering the Future Act makes several significant reforms.
and Success Act, legislation I co-lead with Congressman Judy Chu. This will increase the maximum Education and Training Voucher amount from $5,000 to $12,000, which will allow foster youth to access education and skilled programs. It helps provide grace periods when foster youth are struggling at the collegiate level. Right now, States like Texas are returning more than a million dollars each year of unused funds intended for foster youth in this program.
Training Vouchers to apprenticeships, workforce credential programs, and remedial education.
youth can more easily access the resources that Congress has already made available.
included in the President's executive order Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.
reminded this Nation, America's strength is found in the promise of opportunity. This legislation will allow current and former foster youth the opportunity to pursue education, meaningful work, and the American Dream.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Fostering the Future Act.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Carey).
Mr. CAREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act, which is made up of six bipartisan bills that passed the Committee on Ways and Means last month.
These bills collectively modernize the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program from successful transition to adulthood and are part of First Lady Melania Trump's Fostering the Future initiative.
Trust Act, or the CONNECT Act, clarifies the goal for supporting foster youth developing meaningful relationships with adults, including kin and peers, as well as building those supportive networks.
own permanency plans and ensures that foster youth understand in writing the suite of services that the programs are qualified for.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith, as well as our Ranking Member Neal, as well as Subcommittee on Work and Welfare Chairman LaHood and Ranking Member Davis for their
leadership on this. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Neal, and all members of the subcommittee. I certainly want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), my dear friend, for his leadership. I also thank all of those witnesses who shared their stories with us, all of the youth who shared their lives and their lifetimes.
Kimberley Meinert, Cheryl Freiman, Keval Sojitara, and my primary Ways and Means staffer, Dr. Jill Hunter-Williams.
America. It is a good day when we say to the young people of our country that we care about you, we love you, and we recognize your needs.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote to pass this legislation as quickly as we can get it enacted so that America will be the land of youth.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, aging out is not a plan. Every young person who has experienced foster care deserves a real shot at the American Dream, and they should not be left without any support at a very vulnerable time.
I am very proud of the years of work that went into this legislation: from all the Members of the Ways and Means Committee; from Mr. Davis, who has shown his passion and love for the foster youth; to Darin LaHood, the chair of the Work and Welfare Subcommittee; and all the different Members who had different pieces of legislation within this one bill.
committee hearings from courageous leaders like Seth, Kimberley, Jaydan, and Jocelyn were the key drivers behind these successful reforms.
State, and local organizations, alongside hundreds of foster youth and caregivers. It passed the Ways and Means Committee with a unanimous, bipartisan vote. Supporting our foster youth is not a partisan issue. It is an American responsibility.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7432, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: “A bill to modernize section 477 of part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to improve connections to housing, expand education and training opportunities, and modernize services to improve outcomes for foster youth transitioning into adulthood.”.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.