Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4980, the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act. First, I would like to commend Chairmen Camp and Reichert and Ranking Members Levin and Doggett for their work on this important legislation and for their ongoing commitment to our Nation's foster youth. As cochair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, I have had the opportunity to hear stories from youth across the country during our listening tour. Many of the young people I have heard from share similar stories--from Washington State to Missouri--that they just want to be a part of loving families and have the ability to participate in sports, hang out with their friends, and have the same experiences as their peers. I strongly believe this legislation will help bring a greater sense of stability to foster youth and give kids a chance to be just like their friends. Since 1997, when the adoption incentives legislation became law, we have seen a significant reduction in the number of kids in foster care. By improving adoption incentives, we help children find their forever families. This is why it is so critical to highlight this legislation's investment in legal guardianship and relative caregivers. More than half of the youth in the child welfare system are placed with a relative caregiver: a grandmother, an aunt, uncle, or older sibling. Guardianship is often the preferred type of family permanence for relative caregivers.…”