Legislation
Last updated April 8, 2016
Foster Youth Independence Act of 2015 (H.R.3160)
Rep. Karen Bass [D-CA-37]
This legislation expands the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program to foster youth alumni until age 23, providing support and assistance for youth who age out of the child welfare system.
- Staff contact: Jasmine.Velazquez@mail.house.gov
Family Stability and Kinship Care Act of 2015 (H.R.3781)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D-TX-35]
This legislation prioritizes families and kinship care placements for youth entering foster care. The legislation also provides authorized funding for family counseling and parenting skills training, enabling families to stay together in care.
Modernizing the Interstate Placement of Children in Foster Care (H.R.4472)
Rep. Todd Young [R-IN-9]
This legislation establishes the procedures a state must have for the orderly and timely interstate placement of children to include a electronic case processing system. This bill passed the House of Representatives on March 22, 2016 and is now awaiting consideration in the Senate.
Every Child Deserves a Family Act (H.R.2449)
Rep. John Lewis [D-GA-5]
This legislation prohbits adoption or foster care placement service entites that receive federal assistance or that contract with those that do to use sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status of a prospective adoptive or foster parent, or of the child, to deny a foster or adoptive parents application, to delay the placement of a child into adoption or foster care, or to require different or additional screenings.
- Staff contact: Britni.Rillera@mail.house.gov
Education Stability for Foster Youth Act (H.R.3087)
Rep. Danny Davis [D-IL-7]
- Ensures that any child in foster care will remain within their original school so long as it is in the best interest of the child. The school will only be determined not to be in the best interest if it is not in the best interest of the child, irrespective of the wishes or interests of others. If so, that child will be placed into a new school, even if the child is not able to procure the files normally needed.
- Staff contact: Jill.Hunter-Williams@mail.house.gov
Homeless and Foster Youth Achievement Act (H.R.3221)
Rep. Katherine Clark [D-MA-5]
- To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require States to include information on the academic progress of homeless children and children in foster care in annual State report card.
- Staff contact: Geoff.Browning@mail.house.gov
The Foster Youth Independence Act of 2015 (H.R.3160)
Rep. Karen Bass [D-CA-37]
- Increases the age for which states can serve former foster care youths up to age 23 under the John H. Chafee foster care independence program.
- Staff contact: Jasmine.Velasquez@mail.house.gov
Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act of 2015 (H.R.469)
Rep. Karen Bass [D-CA-37]
- Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to condition eligibility to receive a state grant for child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment programs on inclusion in the state plan of a certification by the governor that the state has in effect and is operating a statewide program.
- Staff contact: Jasmine.Velasquez@mail.house.gov
Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (H.R.181)
Rep. Ted Poe [R-TX-2]
- Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to eligible state and local governments to develop, improve, or expand comprehensive domestic child trafficking deterrence programs that assist law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judicial officials, and qualified victims' services organizations in collaborating to rescue and restore the lives of trafficking victims, while investigating and prosecuting offenses involving child human trafficking.
- Staff contact: Blair.Bjellos@mail.house.gov
Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 2015 (H.R.159)
Rep. Erik Paulsen [R-MN-3]
- Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to give preferential consideration in awarding Community Oriented Police Services grants to an application from an applicant in a state that has in effect a law that: (1) treats a minor who has engaged in, or has attempted to engage in, a commercial sex act as a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons; (2) discourages the charging or prosecution of such individual for a prostitution or sex trafficking offense based on such conduct; and (3) encourages the diversion of such an individual to appropriate service providers, including child welfare services, victim treatment programs, child advocacy centers, rape crisis centers, or other social services.
- Staff contact: Matt.Gallivan@mail.house.gov
To Improve the Response to Victims of Child Sex Trafficking (H.R.246)
Rep. Joyce Beatty [D-OH-3]
- Amends the Missing Children's Assistance Act to include among the required uses of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's annual grant to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operation of a cyber-tip line to provide online users and electronic service providers an effective means of reporting Internet-related child sexual exploitation in the area of child sex trafficking, including child prostitution (currently, in the area of child prostitution).
- Staff contact: Jennifer.Storipan@mail.house.gov
SAVE Act of 2015 (H.R.285)
Rep. Ann Wagner [R-MO-2]
- Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit knowingly: (1) advertising commercial sex acts involving a minor or an individual engaged in such an act through force, fraud, or coercion; or (2) benefitting financially or otherwise from such advertising knowing that the individual involved was a minor or victim of force, fraud, or coercion.
- Staff contact: Alex.Farnowfki@mail.house.gov
International Megan's Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking (H.R.515)
Rep. Christopher H. Smith [R-NJ-4]
- To protect children from exploitation, especially sex trafficking in tourism, by providing advance notice of intended travel by registered child-sex offenders outside the United States to the government of the country of destination, requesting foreign governments to notify the United States when a known child-sex offender is seeking to enter the United States, and for other purposes.
- Staff contact: Allison.Hollabaugh@mail.house.gov
To Improve Transfer of Earned School Credits for Foster Youth (H.R. 562)
Rep. Alan Grayson [D-FL-9]
- This Act may be cited as the “Improving Education for Foster Youth Act”. Each State that receives assistance under this Act shall implement policies ensuring that a child in foster care who is changing schools can transfer school credits and receive partial credits for coursework satisfactorily completed while attending a prior school or educational program.
- Staff contact: David.Bagby@mail.house.gov
Enhancing Services for Runaway and Homeless Victims of Youth Trafficking Act of 2015 (H.R. 468)
Rep. Joseph J. Heck [R-NV-3]
- Amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act with respect to grants to states, localities, and private entities to carry out research, evaluation, demonstration, and service projects regarding activities designed to increase knowledge concerning, and to improve services for, runaway youth and homeless youth.
- Staff contact: Michael.Lisowski@mail.house.gov
Family-Based Foster Care Services Act of 2015 (H.R.835)
Rep. Rosa L DeLauro [D-CT-3]
- Amends Title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide a standard definition of therapeutic foster care services in Medicaid.
- Staff contact: Eric.Anthony@mail.house.gov
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding sexually exploited and trafficked girls in the United States (H.Res 62)
Rep. Rosa L DeLauro [D-CT-3]
- Expresses support for efforts to: (1) provide protections and supports for sexually exploited and trafficked girls in the United States, and (2) create criminal or civil penalties for anyone who buys or sells a child through a system of child trafficking.
- Staff contact: Arjun.Malhotra@mail.house.gov
Helping Schools Protect our Children Act of 2015 (H.R.5127)
Rep. Mark Takano [D-CA-41]
- The Helping Schools Protect Our Children Act would expand the allowable uses of funds under Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act so that Local Education Agencies (LEAs) could provide training for teachers to better recognize signs of sexual abuse and better protect students.
- Staff contact: Claire.Viall@mail.house.gov
Developing Innovative Partnerships and Learning Opportunities that Motivate Achievement Act (H.R.495)
Rep. Judy Chu [D-CA-27]
- Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award renewable five-year grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local consortia that include a local educational agency and other community partners to: (1) ensure the academic, physical, social, emotional, and civic development of disadvantaged youth; and (2) strengthen their families and communities.
- Staff contact: Ellen.Hamilton@mail.house.gov
Amy and Vicky Child Pornography Victim Restitution Improvement Act of 2015 (H.R.595)
Rep. Matt Cartwright [D-PA-17]
- Amends the federal criminal code to expand the definition of "full amount of the victim's losses" for purposes of provisions governing mandatory restitution of victims of offenses involving sexual exploitation and other abuse of children to include medical services, physical and occupational therapy or rehabilitation, and lost income for the victim's lifetime, as well as any losses suffered by the victim from any sexual act or conduct in preparation for or during the production of child pornography depicting the victim involved in the offense.
- Staff Contact: Shelby.Boxenbaum@mail.house.gov
Native American Children’s Safety Act (H.R.1168)
Rep. Kevin Cramer [R-ND-At Large]
- To amend the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act to require background checks before foster care placements are ordered in tribal court proceedings, and for other purposes.
- Staff Contact: Mark.Gruman@mail.house.gov
H.AMDT.27 to Student Success Act (H.R.5)
Rep. Brenda Lawrence [D-MI-14]
- Amendment Purpose: Page 30, line 14, after the second comma, insert `by status as a student in foster care,'.
- Staff Contact: Christina.McWilson@mail.house.gov