Nancy L. Johnson: “Mr. Chairman, I think this Congress has to be very mindful, and I think the underlying bill is mindful of what it means…”

“Mr. Chairman, I think this Congress has to be very mindful, and I think the underlying bill is mindful of what it means to terminate a parent's right to their own child, what it means to the parent and what it means to the child, and what lifelong repercussions that decision has. Having worked hard on permanency placement the many years that I was in the State Senate in Connecticut, and on foster care and adoption issues since that time, I agree with my colleague, the gentlewoman from Connecticut, and those who worked so hard on this bill, that we are leaving children in abusive situations far too long. We are not dealing honestly with the fact that parents are acting so remarkably irresponsibly toward their children that we have to have a law that can act more promptly and terminate rights more aggressively to protect children. I do also urge, however, that we be mindful as we make a change, of the nature of termination decisions and of their ramifications for both adults and children over decades. So I strongly support the underlying structure of the bill, which does force States to make a permanent plan by 12 months, and to initiate termination proceedings at 18 months.”