[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 20, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4171-H4173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING FOSTER PARENTS
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1185) expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives that Congress should recognize the important
contributions of Americans who serve as foster parents and, in doing
so, unselfishly open their homes and family lives to children in need.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1185
Whereas the Nation's foster care system provides a
sanctuary for children who are unable to live safely in their
homes;
Whereas in 2006, some 799,000 children spent at least 24
hours in foster care and, on any given day, roughly 510,000
children were in the Nation's foster care system;
Whereas the primary goal of foster care is to ensure the
safety and well-being of children while working to
expeditiously provide children with a permanent, safe, and
loving home;
Whereas via reunification with parents, adoption, or legal
guardianship, some 289,000 children left foster care in 2006
for a permanent home;
Whereas 303,000 children entered foster care in 2006;
Whereas more than 43 percent of the children that entered
foster care in 2005 were age 5 and younger;
Whereas studies have found that a child's early years are
critical for his or her brain development, making it
extremely important for all children to live in a safe and
loving home during this critical period in their lives;
Whereas in 2005, the median age of a child in foster care
was just over 10 years old and the median length of stay for
a child in foster care was nearly 16 months;
Whereas while a majority of children living in foster care
had the goal of being reunified with their parents, nearly 20
percent of foster children were seeking adoption in 2005;
Whereas each year as many as 24,000 teens will reach the
age of 18 while in foster care
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and age out of the system without finding a permanent family;
Whereas on any given day in 2006, there were as many as
129,000 children in the foster care system waiting to be
adopted;
Whereas in 2005, roughly 60 percent of the children who
left foster care for a permanent adoptive family were adopted
by their foster parents and another 25 percent were adopted
by relatives; and
Whereas it would be appropriate to designate the month of
May 2008 as National Foster Care Month: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the United States House
of Representatives that--
(1) all Americans should work together to strengthen
families and reduce the need of foster care placement for
children; and
(2) Congress should continue its commitment to providing
critical assistance to children and families involved in the
foster care system through the title IV program in the Social
Security Act and other programs that are designed to help
children reunite with their parents or find a loving and
permanent home when they cannot return to their biological
parents.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. McDermott) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, every day another 850 American children
enter foster care. If you go outside and walk along the Mall today, you
will see cardboard cutouts of children. Another 850 representations
will be added each day this week to help us all understand who are at
risk and what is at stake. The fact is, most people are unaware of how
many children are in foster care right now and how many more will be in
foster care tomorrow. My hope is that the image of those cardboard
cutouts will be so compelling that America will take and demand action.
As the chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the foster
care system, I want the House to make this issue as important as the
children we need to help. Each child in this Nation deserves nothing
less than a safe, loving home with a caregiver who ensures their
physical and emotional well-being, supports their dreams in life and
helps them become healthy and happy adults. For over a half a million
children in our Nation, that home is not with their biological parents.
Instead, the nurturing environment is found in the homes of foster
families, who temporarily support a child until that child can either
be safely returned to their biological parents or moved to a permanent
home.
What I just described in a few words doesn't begin to cover the
heroic actions by Americans on behalf of foster children, so we are
here today to mark the month of May as National Foster Care Month. It
is a designation reserved for heroes, and there are hundreds of
thousands of American heroes to be noticed and thanked. They are the
people who open their homes and their hearts to children who are
seeking sanctuary when they are no longer able to live safely in their
homes. These people are the safety net for these children, the
difference between hope and disaster.
National Foster Care Month also recognizes the unsung heroes who work
in the foster care system itself, these individuals who dedicate their
lives to improving the well-being of children who are under the care of
the State. Many of these dedicated people work for relatively little
salary, with limited resources, and often face very dangerous
situations. They do it because they care, and we are grateful.
There isn't anything partisan about ensuring the safety and well-
being of children. We either meet our responsibility to protect these
children, or we don't.
{time} 1100
Lives indeed hang in the balance. That is why Congress must work
together to improve our Nation's foster care system and to fully
support these children, including those who age out of the foster care
system each year and their caretakers, which includes grandparents and
other relatives. It is up to us to ensure that the educational,
medical, and emotional needs of foster children are met. It is up to us
to make sure they know they are not alone. In truth, their outcomes in
life are linked to our ability to guarantee that the State has the
resources to provide these children with the assistance they need.
Foster children should have the same opportunities in life that our
other children have. It is up to us to guarantee that our Federal
programs support that basic right.
I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing May 2008 as National
Foster Care Month. We salute the tireless work of foster care parents,
case workers, court personnel, service providers, and advocates, many
of whom are former foster children, for their commitment to supporting
vulnerable children across this Nation. We must recommit ourselves to
working to improve the foster care system because of the lives of
innocent children who are at stake, and we have the power to make a
difference.
I would like at this time to take one moment to recognize my
colleague, Mr. Weller, who has been my ranking member on this
subcommittee, and he and I have worked together hand in hand on this
issue. This is not a partisan issue, and it has been a real pleasure to
have Mr. Weller as my ranking member in this session of Congress. We
have a bill coming which we hope this House will also approve at
another time.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, likewise to the chairman of the
subcommittee, which I have the privilege of serving as the ranking
member, I just want to state that I enjoy working with you very much as
well, and thank you for your compliment.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1185, recognizing May as
National Foster Care Month. This resolution recognizes the enormous
contribution of foster parents who care for so many vulnerable young
people across America. And I want to commend its chief sponsors,
Representative Jon Porter of Nevada and Chairman McDermott, for
sponsoring and introducing this important resolution.
The House is considering this resolution right between Mother's Day
and Father's Day, which is appropriate, since foster parents step in to
take the place of biological mothers and fathers. Taxpayers themselves
contribute literally billions of dollars each year in Federal and State
assistance to this important effort. But the most important part is the
simple willingness of responsible adults to step in and care for kids
who cannot safely remain with their own parents. For that, as this
resolution expresses, the Nation says thank you.
Many other people work to support foster parents through both public
and private organizations and in paid and volunteer positions alike. We
express our thanks to those dedicated people as well. One example in
the congressional district I represent, groups like The Baby Fold,
which provides a variety of services to support biological and foster
families. We thank all of these individuals for their continuing effort
and dedication to improving the lives of children and their families.
In spite of all the hard work by individuals involved at all levels
in the Nation's foster care system, more work is needed to ensure all
children have a safe home, are protected from abuse, and have the best
opportunities to lead a healthy and productive life.
The Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, on which I
serve as ranking member, has held numerous hearings in the past year on
child welfare issues, reviewing whether foster children are receiving
appropriate medical care, are being prescribed the right medications,
are receiving the education they deserve, and are being adequately
prepared for their life as adults. For some children, the answer to
these questions is a ``yes,'' but for too many the answer is ``no.''
Too many children in foster care are behind their peers in terms of
their health, education, and job prospects.
So there is still much that we need to do to ensure that all children
in foster care receive the care and support they need to overcome these
obstacles and thrive as young adults.
For those who cannot safely return home to their own parents, that
means creating an environment providing as much love, support, and
stability as possible. For some children, that may mean placement with
relatives. For others, it involves the generosity and sacrifice of
foster parents who step in when biological families don't work out.
In addition to this resolution, as Chairman McDermott noted, he and I
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are currently working on a bipartisan package of legislation that we
intend to have designed to improve the foster care system: Expecting
more educational stability and high school completion for foster
children, improving health outcomes, keeping siblings together, and
extending and improving a current incentive program that rewards States
for increasing adoptions. These legislative changes would implement
many of the recommendations our subcommittee has heard for improving
the lives of children in foster care. But even with these improvements,
the tens of thousands of dedicated foster parents and those who support
them will continue to remain the backbone of our foster care system. On
our Nation's effort to support children who cannot safely live with
their own parents, we owe them our thanks and our continued support.
Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote for this important resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
General Leave
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H. Res. 1185.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleague, Mr. McDermott,
and urge the support of H. Res. 1185. Since being elected to public
office, I have been in advocate for children in foster care; in part
because 8 years ago my wife and I adopted two of our children from
foster care.
As a result, we became intimately aware of the status of America's
foster care system. This resolution commends the hard work and
sacrifice of the thousands of American families who care for foster
children. As an adoptive foster parent, I know the joy these children
bring. I also know that caring for children who, in some cases, have
survived atrocious abuse and neglect can be extremely challenging. Many
foster parents open their hearts and homes to children with the trauma
and pain of a broken past. Many times these caregivers receive little
or no support from the Federal government as they take in our Nation's
most vulnerable young people.
Despite record food prices, foster families across America stretch
their budgets to feed additional children that they have welcomed into
their homes. Despite rising gas prices; foster families do their best
to drive children to schools, take them to doctor's appointments, and
attend little league games--because they know that's the kind of
support these children have never had. They do a great service for
America, Mr. Speaker, and deserve to be commended for their efforts.
While we recognize and commend their service, we need to do more to
ensure a better future for these children when they leave foster homes.
We need to do more to heal the minds and bodies of these children, so
that the investment that foster parents have made in their lives is not
lost to homelessness, drug addiction, and gang involvement that so many
of these children turn to when they are abandoned again as they exit
foster care.
The public may not be aware that on the night of their 18th birthday,
most states terminate all services for foster children. Parents know
that most children in our society are not self-sufficient the day they
turn 18. For example: we don't expect our children to afford health
coverage when they turn 18. In fact, most parents retain their children
under a family policy until age 23. Yet for the 26,000 vulnerable young
Americans who age out of the foster care system, we eliminate their
healthcare coverage the moment they turn 18. Mr. Speaker, we need to do
better. We need to extend healthcare coverage for children in foster
care to age 21. The pathway to extend coverage already exists in
current law, but only 17 states have implemented this option and I
believe it is a moral and societal imperative to make this the standard
across our Nation. Without proper healthcare many of these youth end up
another sad statistic.
I know my good friend from Washington, Mr. McDermott, and I see eye-
to-eye on this issue. Both he and I have introduced legislation that
would make these necessary changes to healthcare coverage for foster
children. Mr. Speaker, I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this
resolution and to do better for America's foster children.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, according to 2006 data, nationally, 799,000
children have spent at least 24 hours in foster care and, on any given
day, roughly 510,000 children were in the Nation's foster care system.
In Nevada, there are currently 5,450 children receiving foster care,
including 3,947 in Clark County.
My district has faced some unique challenges recently. As Southern
Nevadans, we recognize the need for a nurturing environment when
biological parents abuse or neglect their own children. Foster families
graciously open their doors, and offer love and guidance in the most
difficult of circumstances. It is critical we honor these unsung
heroes.
I would like to thank Chairman McDermott for introducing this
bipartisan legislation honoring the selfless service of foster families
recognizing the critical role these individuals play in communities
across the nation. In addition, the resolution will mark May as
National Foster Care Month. I encourage all of my colleagues to support
the generosity of foster parents in their districts and throughout the
nation during the month of May.
Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1185.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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