[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13403]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




ON INTRODUCING THE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION 
                                  ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GEOFF DAVIS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 12, 2011

  Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Child 
and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act.
  The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act is 
bipartisan legislation that extends and makes modest adjustments to the 
Child Welfare Services and the Promoting Safe and Stable Families 
programs that both expire September 30th of this year. Although only a 
small part of all federal child welfare funding, these programs help 
ensure that children can remain safely with their own parents or be 
supported by other caring adults when necessary.
  The bill reflects agreements between Republicans and Democrats on the 
House Ways and Means Committee, as well as with our colleagues on the 
Senate Finance Committee, for reauthorizing these programs. The bill is 
bipartisan and bicameral, and draws on the findings of several hearings 
we have had in the Human Resources Subcommittee this year on child 
welfare issues. Further, this bill does not increase spending or raise 
the deficit. When the American people ask us to work together across 
party lines to craft meaningful legislation that is fully paid for, 
this is the type of bill they have in mind.
  In addition, this bill would renew authority for the Department of 
Health and Human Services to approve child welfare waivers. These 
waivers have been a valuable tool for States seeking to test new ways 
of helping children at risk of abuse and neglect, and the renewal of 
this authority will allow innovation to continue.
  This bill adds important transparency and accounting requirements, 
and does not increase spending or deficits. This bill also requires 
that States establish common data standards to improve information 
sharing, which will improve the efficiency of the programs while 
allowing States to better coordinate services for children and 
families.
  I thank the Ranking Member on the Human Resources Subcommittee, Mr. 
Doggett of Texas, for introducing this legislation with me, and for his 
efforts to move it forward and thus better serve children and families 
across the country.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this important legislation.

                          ____________________