House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Charles Boustany (R-LA), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced legislation to prevent the Administration from implementing proposed new regulations intended to update child support provisions. The legislation was announced along with tough talk about “dead-beat
Late last week the House of Representatives was working on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and other agencies (THUD) appropriations bill trying to make it the fourth bill to pass the House. There are twelve appropriations bills (and an annual Defense Department reauthorization that gets adopted at the same time) that need to be
A letter in support of the President’s budget request for greater funding in some child welfare services has collected over 160 organizational sign-ons. The Administration’s FY 2016 budget request includes a number of proposals including the expansion of services to help prevent foster care placements as well as some limited funding for post-permanence funding. The
On Tuesday, May 19, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the use of congregate care. The hearing was titled, "No Place to Grow Up: How to Safely Reduce Reliance on Foster Care Group Homes." The hearing focused on the desire to make sure that children do not grow up or stay in
For the second time in four days, on Tuesday, May 19, the White House was the center for a discussion on foster care. This event was framed around the Champions of Change program in which the White House recognized 12 young people who had been in foster care at some point in their lives. The
On Friday morning May 15, the White House sponsored a forum that focused attention on the topic of preventing placement of children in foster care. The discussion included more than 60 individuals representing national organizations (including the Child Welfare League of America), federal officials, state representatives and individuals affected by the child welfare system. Part
In relation to the President’s request for greater funding in some child welfare services, organizations still have an opportunity to join over 100 organizations in support of the budget proposals. A number of groups led by First Focus Campaign for Children, the Child Welfare League of America, Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), Foster Family-based Treatment Association
On Tuesday, May 19th, the White House will honor twelve former foster youth as "Champions of Change" because they are making a difference in their communities. The program will feature remarks by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Deputy Assistant to the President for Urban Affairs, Justice and Opportunity Roy L. Austin Jr. The
The House is starting to debate and vote on some of the 12 appropriations bills now that a final budget resolution has been adopted and spending ceilings are in place. That process may be long and challenging as this week’s appropriations debate on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and other agencies (THUD) legislation was
As part of their efforts and recognition of May as National Foster Care Month, the Children’s Bureau is hosting two webinars in the next two weeks. The first webinar, Supporting Permanency for LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care, was on Thursday, May 14. A second webinar will be on Thursday, May 21, from 2:00 to 3:30