I know that Senator Wyden is planning to introduce legislation which would allow Federal funds to be used for services to help families stay safely together.

I want to make it clear that this is in no way a condemnation of foster care.

helping my mom . . . helping my dad . . . helping my family.

Most youngsters in foster care are not there because of physical or sexual abuse.

In my judgement, every one of those avenues should be explored before breaking a family apart.

I want to thank Chairman Hatch for holding this hearing.

Strong families mean strong kids. That's the bottom line.

Thanks very much for your years of good work, and I would just like to note, Mr. Chairman, that as we go forward under your leadership to work on this in a bipartisan way, the ideas that this panel has offered, these are not big, expensive…

I commend you for that. I look forward to building on that partnership.

Strong families mean strong kids. That is the bottom line.

This hearing is part of a bipartisan process to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

In my judgment, every single one of those avenues ought to be explored before breaking the family apart.

So here we are in 2015, and I think we have an opportunity, as Chairman Hatch just suggested, for going even further to help these youngsters thrive with kin.

Thank you, Senator Wyden. The Family Stability and Kinship Care Act proposed is an encouraging measure.

this weekend I watched the Planned Parenthood videos that are in the news, including one in which the organization's leadership says very clearly that the statements made by some of their staff are totally unacceptable. I believe that is…

I will be brief. I understand why our colleagues want to respond in some way to the horrendous hack at the Office of Personnel Management. I wish to say to my colleagues that it needs to be a response that is going to work. My concern is…

I look back at those debates in the 1990s, and the seniors said then that they thought kinship care was going to make a big difference.

This is not in any way a condemnation of foster care.

We are grateful to Senator Wyden for seeking input on his May discussion draft, carefully tailoring the current legislation, and incorporating recommendations from DAI and other child welfare organizations into S. 1964.

Whenever you ask anyone who has been through the child welfare system about what could have helped them the most, the answer is often, 'helping my mom . . . helping my dad . . . helping my family.'

And that has to change.

Thank you very much.

I look forward to working with him and any other members of the committee on legislation that would reduce the reliance on foster care group homes and allow States to use their Federal foster care dollars for these prevention services.

I commend him for it, and I want the chairman and colleagues on both sides of the aisle to know I think we have an opportunity to rise to the occasion again.

Well, you are doing a terrific job, and I look forward to partnering with you in the days ahead.