Continued State Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act

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.

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.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

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.

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. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.