[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 391 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 391

  Recognizing May as ``National Foster Care Month'' and acknowledging 
 that the House of Representatives should continue to work to improve 
                    the Nation's foster care system.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 30, 2009

  Mr. McDermott (for himself and Mr. Linder) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing May as ``National Foster Care Month'' and acknowledging 
 that the House of Representatives should continue to work to improve 
                    the Nation's foster care system.

Whereas on average, the Nation's foster care system provides for more than a 
        half a million children each day who are unable to live safely with 
        their biological parents;
Whereas National Foster Care Month provides an opportunity to recognize the 
        important role that foster care parents, workers, and advocates have in 
        the lives of children in the foster care system throughout the United 
        States;
Whereas the primary goal of the foster care system is to ensure the safety and 
        well-being of children, while working to provide such children with a 
        permanent, safe, and loving home;
Whereas foster parents give children the opportunity to live with families and 
        make lasting attachments instead of living in institutions, where they 
        face a reduced chance for permanency;
Whereas States, localities, and communities should be encouraged to invest 
        available resources on reunification services and post-permanency 
        supports designed to allow more children in the foster care system to 
        safely return to their biological parents, or find permanent placements 
        through adoption or guardianship;
Whereas children of color are more likely to stay in the foster care system for 
        longer periods of time and are less likely to be reunited with their 
        biological families;
Whereas 293,000 children entered the foster care system during fiscal year 2007;
Whereas in fiscal year 2007, there was an average of 131,000 children in the 
        foster care system each day who were waiting to be adopted;
Whereas while a majority of children in the foster care system have the goal of 
        being reunited with their biological parents, more than 23 percent of 
        children who were in the foster care system on the last day of fiscal 
        year 2007 were seeking placement through the adoption process;
Whereas the overall reduction in the number of children in the foster care 
        system in the last decade does not reflect a decline in the level of 
        Federal assistance necessary to assist those living in foster care and 
        the dedicated men and women in the child welfare workforce;
Whereas the number of children ``aging out'' of the foster care system without 
        finding a permanent family increased to an all-time high of nearly 
        28,000 in fiscal year 2007;
Whereas children ``aging out'' of the foster care system lack the security of a 
        biological or adoptive family to fall back on when struggling to secure 
        affordable housing, obtain health insurance, pursue higher education, 
        and acquire adequate employment;
Whereas the foster care system is intended to be a temporary solution, however, 
        on average, children remain in the system for at least 2 years;
Whereas studies suggest that nearly 60 percent of children in the foster care 
        system experience a chronic medical condition and 25 percent suffer from 
        3 or more chronic medical conditions;
Whereas while in the foster care system, children experience an average of 3 
        different placements, moves that often mean disrupting routines, 
        changing schools, and moving away from brothers and sisters, extended 
        family, and familiar surroundings;
Whereas the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 
        2008 (Public Law 110-351) provided new investments and services to 
        improve the outcomes of children and families in the foster care system; 
        and
Whereas all children deserve a loving and stable family, regardless of age or 
        special needs: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of a ``National Foster Care 
        Month'';
            (2) acknowledges the needs of children in the foster care 
        system;
            (3) honors the commitment and dedication of those 
        individuals who work tirelessly to provide assistance and 
        services to children in the foster care system; and
            (4) recognizes the need to continue work to improve 
        outcomes of all children in the foster care system through the 
        title IV program in the Social Security Act and other programs 
        that are designed to help children in the foster care system 
        reunite with their biological parents and, when children are 
        unable to return to their biological parents, to find them a 
        permanent, safe, and loving home.
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