[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H593-H594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   GUARANTEED INCOME FOR FOSTER YOUTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr.  Robert Garcia) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge 
my colleagues to help improve the lives of thousands of vulnerable 
youth across our country.
  Our Guaranteed Income for Foster Youth Act will create a new Federal 
program to provide $1,000 a month to young adults exiting foster care 
and helping them pull themselves out of poverty, as well as build 
healthy economic communities across the country.
  It is no secret that there are major gaps in the Federal foster care 
system. More than a fifth of foster care youth experience homelessness 
within 1 year of emancipation. It is critical that we uplift our foster 
youth during such a transformative and vulnerable time in their lives.
  For my entire career, I have been a strong advocate for guaranteed 
income programs. When I was the mayor of Long Beach, we built and 
launched a transformational guaranteed income program that is now 
directly helping over 900 low-income individuals, including over 500 
children.
  I have also had the pleasure of working with the Mayors for 
Guaranteed Income, to show how providing direct payments can end 
poverty in the United States.
  Across the country, guaranteed income programs have done incredible 
things for families. They have pursued higher-paying jobs, obtained 
undergraduate degrees, paid off debt, and afforded basic necessities 
like food and utilities.
  The evidence across the country is clear: Guaranteed income programs 
have been incredibly successful in lifting people out of poverty and 
helping to preserve economic freedom and independence.
  Working together, we can ensure that children leaving the foster care 
system can have the foundation they need to thrive in our community.

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