[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3711 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3711

   To ensure that foster children affected or displaced by Hurricane 
     Katrina receive the critical assistance they need and deserve.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 8, 2005

Mr. McDermott introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To ensure that foster children affected or displaced by Hurricane 
     Katrina receive the critical assistance they need and deserve.

    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 ``Emergency Action for Vulnerable 
Children Act''.

SEC. 2. FOSTER CHILDREN IN AREAS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA DEEMED 
              ELIGIBLE FOR FOSTER CARE MAINTENANCE PAYMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Each State with a plan approved under part E of 
title IV of the Social Security Act shall, during the 12-month period 
that begins with September 2005, make foster care maintenance payments 
(as defined in section 475(4) of such Act) in accordance with such part 
on behalf of each child who is in foster care under the responsibility 
of the State, and who resides or, just before August 28, 2005, had 
resided in an area for which a major disaster has been declared under 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
    (b) Payments to States.--In lieu of any entitlement to payment 
under section 474 of the Social Security Act with respect to any child 
described in subsection (a) of this section, each State with such a 
plan shall be entitled to a payment for each quarter in which there is 
a month in which the State has made a foster care maintenance payment 
pursuant to such subsection (a), in an amount equal to the sum of--
            (1) the total of the amounts expended by the State during 
        the quarter pursuant to such subsection (a) for children 
        described in such subsection (a) who are in foster family homes 
        (as defined in section 472(c)(1) of such Act) or child-care 
        institutions (as defined in section 472(c)(2) of such Act); and
            (2) the total of the amounts expended by the State during 
        the quarter as found necessary by the Secretary for the 
        provision of child placement services for such children, for 
        the proper and efficient administration of the plan with 
        respect to such children, or for the provision of services 
        which seek to improve the well-being of such children.
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