[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 189 (Wednesday, October 27, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H5937-H5940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONTINUED STATE FLEXIBILITY TO ASSIST OLDER FOSTER YOUTH

  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5661) to extend flexible use of John H. 
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program funding to address pandemic-
related challenges for older foster youth.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5661

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page H5938]]

  


     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Continued State Flexibility 
     To Assist Older Foster Youth Act''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PANDEMIC PROVISIONS AFFECTING OLDER 
                   FOSTER YOUTH.

       (a) Extension of Chafee Program Flexibility.--Section 3 of 
     division X of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (42 
     U.S.C. 677 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``and 2021'' and 
     inserting ``through 2022''; and
       (2) in subsection (d)--
       (A) by striking ``During the COVID-19 public health 
     emergency period:'';
       (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``The'' and inserting 
     ``Through December 31, 2021, the'';
       (C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``A'' and inserting 
     ``Through fiscal year 2022, a'';
       (D) in paragraph (3), by striking ``Notwithstanding'' and 
     inserting ``Through fiscal year 2022, notwithstanding''; and
       (E) in paragraph (4), by inserting after the paragraph 
     heading the following: ``Through fiscal year 2022:''.
       (b) Extension of State Funding Flexibility Related to Youth 
     Aging Out of Foster Care.--Section 4 of such division (42 
     U.S.C. 671 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (d)--
       (A) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``2021'' and inserting 
     ``2022''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) Additional chafee funding flexibilities.--
     Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this subsection, a State to 
     which additional funds are made available as a result of 
     section 3(a) of this division may use the funds to meet any 
     costs referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection 
     incurred on or before September 30, 2022, with respect to 
     children who--
       ``(A) have attained 18 years of age;
       ``(B) are in foster care, or re-enter care; and
       ``(C) are not eligible for foster care maintenance payments 
     under section 472 of the Social Security Act.''; and
       (2) in subsection (e), by striking ``2021'' and inserting 
     ``2022''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis) and the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. 
Walorski) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  The COVID-19 pandemic hit all of our communities hard, but for 
vulnerable youth in foster care, it was terrifying, especially for 
those youth approaching the age of independence at which they lose 
access to the supports that foster care provides.
  When my good friend Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and I teamed up 
last year to provide States with flexibility and funding to help these 
youth, we hoped and expected that the pandemic would be over by now and 
that these youth would be back on track, getting an education, starting 
jobs, finding a place to live, and establishing independent lives.
  Unfortunately, the delta variant hit hard, creating a new wave of 
challenges for these youth. To the current and former foster youth who 
reached out to us and our colleagues to share their stories, we hear 
you, and we are committed to continuing to respect the lessons of your 
lived experience in foster care.
  The legislation we are considering today, the Continued State 
Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act will restore and continue 
key program flexibilities that allow States to provide greater 
stability and certainty to current and former youth via the John H. 
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program.
  The bill will give States the flexibility to continue providing the 
specific supports that older foster youth need to return to college, 
training programs, and work. It will extend flexibilities to secure 
housing, to gain independence through driving programs, and to allow 
youth who would otherwise age out of eligibility for services a little 
more support to weather the pandemic.
  I firmly believe in the strong bipartisan partnership that 
Representative Walorski and I have built over the years to help 
vulnerable youth and families to improve our child welfare system.
  We have a lot to do to help foster youth through this pandemic, and 
this legislation to allow States to make better use of the funding we 
provided is the first step.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this important legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5661, the Continued State 
Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act.
  America's most vulnerable foster youth face unique challenges even in 
normal times, and the COVID-19 pandemic created even more obstacles to 
overcome.
  Nearly 20,000 youth age out of foster care every year. While the 
COVID pandemic has presented difficulties for all Americans, foster 
youth and former foster youth are particularly vulnerable, given that 
they are most likely to be without reliable adults and other kinds of 
supports in their lives.
  The Continued State Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act 
would allow States to keep in place important flexibilities in the 
Chafee child welfare program so they can continue to support vulnerable 
foster youth in Indiana and across the country.
  I am grateful to Chairman Davis for his continued partnership in 
building on our past reforms to help families thrive and this 
committee's tradition of bipartisan action to protect young people in 
our foster care system.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she 
may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5661, the 
Continued State Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act.
  We have heard directly from foster youth that aging out of the system 
comes with unique challenges, and that they are often left without 
supportive services or families to help them if they fall on hard 
times. This has been especially difficult throughout the COVID-19 
pandemic, as older and former foster youth have experienced homeless, 
been laid off from work, endured food insecurity, and navigated 
negative impacts on their mental health.
  But States like California have devised ways to help, like letting 
foster youth who turn 21 continue receiving support and assistance 
through the child welfare agency. Additionally, at the end of last 
year, Congress provided States with additional funds in the year-end 
omnibus specifically to help this population, many of whom were not 
eligible for Federal stimulus payments. And in California, we are 
working to get this funding directly to impacted youth via direct cash 
payments. Unfortunately, the pandemic has made it harder to get these 
funds directly into the hands of the young people who need them, 
causing needless delays and hardship.
  That is why I am happy to support H.R. 5661 to extend support to our 
young adults and ensure that they have all of the tools they need to 
make it through this unprecedented time. By extending the programmatic 
flexibilities in the Chafee program, which helps current and former 
foster youth prepare for independent adult living, we are keeping young 
people safe and housed and also ensuring access to supportive services 
for those youth affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
  I have had the privilege to meet with foster youth from across the 
country throughout the years, and I have been impressed with their 
resilience and ability to advocate for themselves. But they don't have 
to do it alone. I am proud to support this bill to help foster youth 
shape a better future for themselves and our whole country.

                              {time}  1230

  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).
  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleagues from Indiana and 
Illinois.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5661, the Continued 
State Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act.
  We can all agree that our children and youth have suffered 
tremendously during this pandemic. Foster youth

[[Page H5939]]

that aged out of the system are hurting and feel forgotten. We can come 
together to support these youth through continuing States' flexibility 
with the Chafee funds to assist older foster youth.
  The act will allow the emergency Chafee funds flexibilities that we 
implemented during the pandemic to continue through fiscal year 2022. 
It will give youth the option to reenter foster care that aged out 
during the pandemic, remove the living expenses cap, and expand the 
educational training funds to assist them.
  We hear more and more from youth that need our help. As a foster-to-
adopt parent, I know that our foster youth need our help, and we need 
to make sure that we hold to our responsibility to fully support them 
during this crisis. Young adults who have aged out of foster care are 
the number one risk for homelessness in that age group.
  Mr. Speaker, we have the opportunity here to make a difference.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman so very 
much for yielding to me. I thank him and Ranking Member Walorski for 
bringing this bill forward.
  Mr. Speaker, our foster youth are, of course, some of our Nation's 
most vulnerable. But do you know what? They are also our most 
resilient. But even the most resilient needs support. That is what this 
bill is all about, ensuring that those who would otherwise age out of 
foster care at age 18, who chose it or need it, can continue to get 
services--housing, workforce development, driving skills--through this 
pandemic.
  For thousands of foster youth each year, their time in foster care, 
simply because they turn 18--or 21 in some States--can be a very, very 
unsettling moment for them.
  As a result, with little or no family support, they suddenly find 
themselves grown, independent. But the reality is that the battle is 
only beginning in these youths' lives. Having already suffered trauma, 
including family separation, they find themselves without any type of 
safety net during this particularly trying time in any person's life. 
And to be sure, these are inspiring young people, but again, they need 
support to help ensure brighter futures.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about one of these youth who I had the 
pleasure to get to know. His story is full of struggles and victories, 
but they are not the exception. This was Mr. ``DJay'' Joi.
  I first met DJay when he shadowed me during Foster Youth Day a few 
years ago. He had such a great heart, great personality, extremely 
intelligent, that he quickly became a part of my own personal family.
  DJay's drive and resilience helped him create a bright future for 
himself. He knew firsthand the difficulties facing those aging out of 
the foster care system, challenges that he shared with me.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 
minute to the gentlewoman.
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, this bill is a good step. But 
let's recognize and address the supports we need to provide foster 
youth. We need to require all States to raise the maximum age to 21 for 
those who choose to keep receiving foster care supportive services. We 
need to think about permanently removing the barriers or the cap on the 
use of Chafee funds for housing.
  Karen Bass and I have a bill that would immediately allow former 
foster youth to keep Medicaid coverage through age 26. Healthcare is a 
critical need.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member, and I urge 
all Members to support this great initiative.
  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5661, the 
Continued State Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act.
  As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, this issue 
is incredibly important to me. In my home State of Michigan, there are 
approximately 13,000 children in foster care. Unfortunately, they have 
been at particular risk during this COVID-19 pandemic.
  This legislation would take meaningful action to ensure that States 
have the opportunity to assist children in foster care by extending 
pandemic-related provisions passed under the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act for an additional year.
  Mr. Speaker, I am confident that these flexibilities will help 
States, like my own Michigan, provide foster children with the 
assistance they need.
  We must do everything in our power to assist and support at-risk 
youth. It is necessary that we follow through on this commitment to 
them.
  Mr. Speaker, I often remind people: Foster children are a ward of the 
State and are our responsibility.
  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Continued State 
Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act.

  Last month, I hosted a townhall with the National Foster Youth 
Institute for current and former foster youth across the country. Their 
stories of hardship broke my heart. I was not surprised, though, 
because these young people are among the most vulnerable in our 
society, often lacking the same social safety net that you or I could 
rely on in a crisis.
  Surveys throughout the pandemic have shown foster youth face elevated 
financial, housing, and food insecurity; decreased educational and 
workforce participation; and increased isolation. This bill before us 
today extends crucial flexibilities for the Chafee Foster Care Program 
that we put in place last December, allowing States to better meet the 
needs of current and former foster youth.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill and help young 
people access this much-needed assistance.
  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further 
speakers.
  I will simply say that I am very pleased that we are considering this 
important legislation that would provide additional help to foster 
children and give States the flexibility that they need to provide all 
the assistance during this pandemic that foster children can make use 
of.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my ranking member tremendously for the 
bipartisanship we have been able to effect, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, in December, we worked together to take action to help 
foster youth through the pandemic so they could build a stronger, more 
stable future. That bill, called the Supporting Foster Youth Through 
the Pandemic Act, provided much-needed additional support for foster 
youth and families, at-risk pregnant women and mothers, and kinship 
caregivers, including grandparents.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill included $400 million in funding to assist 
States in supporting foster youth transitioning to adulthood during the 
pandemic. That relief has provided a lifeline for thousands of youth to 
get back to school, back into jobs, and on the path of self-
sufficiency.
  As COVID-19 continues to spur instability, young people with 
experience in foster care still face significant challenges to meet 
their basic needs and to access critical funds and services.
  According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 75 percent 
of these funds remain unobligated by States as of September 30, 2021, 
and States have another year to spend. In recognition of the needs of 
foster youth, this bill would extend those key programmatic 
flexibilities for another year.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support these vulnerable foster 
youth by voting for H.R. 5661, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by

[[Page H5940]]

the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5661.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________