Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Continued State Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act. Last month, I hosted a townhall with the National Foster Youth Institute for current and former foster youth across the country. Their stories of hardship broke my heart. I was not surprised, though, because these young people are among the most vulnerable in our society, often lacking the same social safety net that you or I could rely on in a crisis. Surveys throughout the pandemic have shown foster youth face elevated financial, housing, and food insecurity; decreased educational and workforce participation; and increased isolation. This bill before us today extends crucial flexibilities for the Chafee Foster Care Program that we put in place last December, allowing States to better meet the needs of current and former foster youth. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill and help young people access this much-needed assistance.”