[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 659 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 659

    Recognizing the goals and ideals of National Foster Care Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 2012

 Ms. Bass of California (for herself, Mr. Andrews, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. 
    Bartlett, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mrs. Black, Mrs. 
Blackburn, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Braley of Iowa, 
   Mrs. Capps, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Carnahan, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Ms. 
   Castor of Florida, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Clarke of 
Michigan, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Cohen, 
  Mr. Cooper, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Costa, Mr. Costello, Mr. Courtney, Mr. 
 Critz, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. DeGette, Ms. DeLauro, 
 Mr. Doggett, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Grimm, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. 
Hahn, Ms. Hanabusa, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Hirono, 
  Mr. Holden, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Huelskamp, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Mr. 
Johnson of Illinois, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Johnson of 
   Georgia, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. 
Latham, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. 
    Marino, Mr. Markey, Ms. Matsui, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Ms. 
   McCollum, Mr. McDermott, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Moore, Mr. Moran, Mrs. 
   Myrick, Mr. Nunnelee, Mr. Olver, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. 
     Peters, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Platts, Mr. Polis, Mr. Rangel, Ms. 
   Richardson, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Schiff, Mr. 
 Schilling, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Stark, 
  Mr. Thompson of California, Ms. Tsongas, Mr. Walz of Minnesota, Ms. 
    Wilson of Florida, Ms. Woolsey, and Mr. Yarmuth) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and 
                                 Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Recognizing the goals and ideals of National Foster Care Month.

Whereas the Nation's foster care system provides for approximately 408,000 
        children each day who are unable to live safely with their biological 
        parents due to abuse and neglect;
Whereas we all have a legal and moral responsibility to provide the best care 
        possible for children when they cannot remain in their homes;
Whereas foster children, like all children, deserve no less than a safe, loving, 
        and permanent home;
Whereas there were approximately 254,000 youth that entered the foster care 
        system in 2010 while over 107,000 youth were eligible and awaiting 
        adoption at the end of 2010;
Whereas, in fiscal year 2010, almost 53,000 children were adopted out of foster 
        care while the number of those who ``aged out'' of the foster care 
        system without finding a permanent family was over 27,900;
Whereas foster parents are the frontline caregivers for children who cannot 
        safely remain with their biological parents and provide physical care, 
        emotional support, education advocacy, and are the largest single source 
        of families providing permanent homes for children leaving foster care 
        to adoption;
Whereas children in foster care who are placed with relatives, compared to 
        children placed with non-relatives, have more stability (fewer changes 
        in placements), have more positive perceptions of their placements, are 
        more likely to be placed with their siblings, and demonstrate fewer 
        behavioral problems;
Whereas some relative caregivers receive less financial assistance and support 
        services than do foster caregivers;
Whereas recent studies show foster children enrolled in Medicaid were prescribed 
        antipsychotic medications at nearly 9 times the rate of other children 
        receiving Medicaid;
Whereas children in foster care are much more likely to face educational 
        instability with 65 percent of former foster children experiencing at 
        least 7 school changes while in care;
Whereas an increased emphasis on prevention and reunification services is 
        necessary to reduce the number of children that are forced to remain in 
        the foster care system;
Whereas children ``aging out'' of foster care need and deserve a support system 
        as they work to secure affordable housing, obtain health insurance, 
        pursue higher education, and acquire adequate employment;
Whereas Federal legislation over the past 3 decades, including the Adoption 
        Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, the Adoption and Safe Families 
        Act of 1997, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing 
        Adoptions Act of 2008, and the Child and Family Services Improvement and 
        Innovation Act of 2011 provided new investments and services to improve 
        the outcomes of children in the foster care system;
Whereas State and local governments, and other child serving agencies, have also 
        invested in child welfare service improvements in order to provide 
        stable, permanent homes for children;
Whereas more work and investments are needed to provide the necessary array of 
        services to these children; and
Whereas May would be an appropriate month to designate as National Foster Care 
        Month to provide an opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of 
        the child welfare workforce, foster parents, advocacy community, and 
        mentors and the positive impact they have on children's lives: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Foster Care 
        Month;
            (2) recognizes foster children throughout the Nation for 
        their ongoing tenacity, courage, and resilience while facing 
        life challenges;
            (3) honors the tireless efforts of those who work to 
        improve outcomes for children in the child welfare system;
            (4) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the foster care 
        system who serve as advocates and role models for children who 
        remain in care;
            (5) recognizes the significant improvements to Federal, 
        State, and local child welfare policy; and
            (6) reaffirms the need to work through the programs 
        provided under parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security 
        Act, and through other programs, to support vulnerable 
        families, invest in prevention and reunification services, 
        promote adoption in cases where reunification is not in a 
        child's best interest, adequately serve those children brought 
        into the foster care system, and facilitate the successful 
        transition into adulthood for children that ``age out'' of the 
        foster care system.
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