[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 660 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 660

  Expressing support for designation of December 12, 2012, as Foster 
                            Children's Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 2012

 Mr. Pallone submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for designation of December 12, 2012, as Foster 
                            Children's Day.

Whereas as of June 2011, approximately 408,000 children are in some type of 
        foster care;
Whereas the average age of a foster child is 9 years old, with an average of 14 
        to 25 months in the foster care system, 48 percent of foster children 
        will be placed in a nonrelative home;
Whereas of the 408,000 children, only 107,000 were eligible for adoption, only 
        53,000 were adopted, and only 51 percent are reunited with their parents 
        or original guardians;
Whereas approximately 20,000 foster children will ``age out'' when they turn 18, 
        of these children only 38 percent of them will hold a job for more then 
        a year, 55 percent of them will be arrested, and 18 to 26 percent of 
        them will be incarcerated and will leave the foster system with little 
        financial or emotional support;
Whereas the overwhelming majority of foster children end up in foster care after 
        being removed from an abusive or neglectful household;
Whereas 7 years old is the average age that children are removed from their 
        homes to enter the foster care system;
Whereas foster children are more likely to have a disability and the occurrence 
        of every disability is 2 to 3 times higher among foster children than 
        among those not in foster care;
Whereas it is essential for the United States to recommit itself to recognizing 
        the unique needs and experiences of foster children and to aid in 
        facilitating permanent placement of these children as well as to 
        encouraging Federal, State, and local government, private organizations, 
        and the general public to become involved with foster children through 
        charitable efforts which acknowledge that these children are important 
        and loved; and
Whereas December 12, 2012, would be an appropriate date to designate as Foster 
        Children's Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the 
designation of Foster Children's Day in the United States to recognize 
the unique needs and experiences of foster children and to provide an 
opportunity for Federal, State, and local government, private 
organizations, and the general public to engage in charitable efforts 
which acknowledge that these foster children are important and loved.
                                 <all>