Home > Legislation > 113th Congress > H.R.2036

H.R.2036 - Foster Children Opportunity Act113th Congress (2013-2014)

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Sponsor: Rep. O'Rourke, Beto [D-TX-16] (Introduced 05/16/2013)
Committees: House - Ways and Means; Agriculture
Latest Action: House - 06/03/2013 Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Nutrition.  (All Actions)

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This bill has the status Introduced

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Summary: H.R.2036 — 113th Congress (2013-2014)All Information (Except Text)

There is one summary for H.R.2036. Bill summaries are authored by CRS.

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Introduced in House (05/16/2013)

Foster Children Opportunity Act - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require state plans for foster care and adoption assistance to have procedures to assist alien children in the child welfare system achieve special immigrant juvenile status and lawful permanent resident status before exiting foster care.

Requires case plans to include documentation of the steps the state child welfare agency is taking in assisting children obtain lawful immigrant status before exiting foster care.

Requires a permanency hearing to determine whether a petition for special immigrant juvenile status or lawful permanent resident status has been filed on behalf of an alien foster child and, if it has not been filed, whether it is in the child's best interest to have such a petition filed or to have immigration counsel appointed.

Authorizes the use of court improvement program grant funds to educate and train child welfare and court staff to assist alien children in achieving special immigrant juvenile status, lawful permanent resident status, and other forms of relief under immigration law.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), on the request of a child welfare agency, to provide technical assistance in carrying out this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to and contract with qualified non-profit or other community-based service providers to perform the assistance.

Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to make an exception to the five-year limited eligibility of qualified aliens for federal means-tested public benefits for individuals who have obtained special immigrant juvenile status.

Makes a similar exception for such individuals with respect to the limited eligibility of qualified aliens for certain Federal programs.