[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH

  (Mr. HULTGREN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I wear this pin today in honor of May as 
National Foster Care Month. At the end of fiscal year 2010, over 
100,000 foster youth were eligible and waiting for adoption. Sixty-five 
percent of former foster children experienced at least seven school 
changes while in care. In 2010, almost 30,000 youth ``aged out'' of the 
foster care system without a permanent family. In some States, up to 50 
percent of former foster and probation youth become homeless within the 
first 18 months of emancipation. In some cities, nearly 60 percent of 
victims of domestic minor sex trafficking are youth from the foster 
care system.
  All children deserve safe, loving, and permanent homes. We must work 
together to create good policy for foster youth, and I would encourage 
anyone thinking about becoming a parent to consider changing a life 
through adoption and foster care.

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