Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the Coats-Wyden kinship care amendment, which was agreed to by the Senate last night. I would like to thank my colleague, Senator Coats, for his assistance with this important amendment. Grandparents caring for grandchildren represent an underappreciated natural resource in our Nation. They hold tremendous potential for curing one of our society's most pressing maladies: The care of children who have no parents, or whose parents simply aren't up to the task of providing children a stable, secure, and nurturing living environment. There is such a great reservoir of love and experience available to us, and more especially to the tens of thousands of American children who desperately need basic care giving. We provide public assistance to strangers for this kind of care, but the folks available to provide foster care homes are in short supply. It is time that States and the Federal Government begin to promote policies that open doors to relatives who are ready, willing and able to care for these children. Some States have already been moving in this direction for over a decade. Over the past 10 years the number of children involved in extended family arrangements has increased by 40 percent. Currently, more than 3 million children are being raised by their grandparents. In other words, 5 percent of all families in this country are headed by grandparents.”