Michele Bachmann: “I rise today to support H.R. 6307, the Fostering Connections to Success Act. This vital piece of bipartisan legislation…”

“I rise today to support H.R. 6307, the Fostering Connections to Success Act. This vital piece of bipartisan legislation was designed to make much needed improvements to the child welfare system, focused on some of the most vulnerable among us--foster children. There are more than 500,000 children in foster care nationwide today, many of whom come from troubled homes and have been moved from family to family several times. My husband and I have cared for 23 foster children, and I understand full well the struggles these children face on a daily basis. This bill goes a long way in alleviating some of the roadblocks standing in their way. The main focus of this bill is to improve the accessibility foster youth have to essential services, their family, health care, and education. However, this legislation makes considerations for those not only actually in foster care, but for those who 'age out' of the system--a group of young men and women who are often overlooked. A key component of this bill is the extension of federal foster care payments up to the age of 21. We are considered adults at the age of 18 in this society, but reaching 18 does not automatically mean that an individual is financially independent. As these young men and women pursue a degree of higher learning, or whether they choose to start working, this bill will give them the financial help they desperately need.”