Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Currently, Native America tribes and their tribal courts use procedures and guidelines that vary significantly from tribe to tribe when placing a Native American child in a foster home. Current law does not require that the Federal Government or Indian tribe perform vigorous background checks on foster parents or foster homes in order to ensure the safety, health, and protection of Native children. Consequently, there have been appalling cases of Native American children ending up in dangerous and unsafe living conditions because they were placed in an overburdened foster care system that failed to ensure sufficient background checks of placement homes. We critically need background checks of individuals and institutions selected to foster Native youth. H.R. 1168 strengthens background checks on prospective foster care parents prior to placement of Native children into foster homes and sets forth a uniform manner in which Federal and tribal agencies serving tribes may conduct such checks. I ask my colleagues to stand with me in support of Native American children by supporting passage of Mr. Cramer's bill, H.R. 1168, and I yield back the balance of my time.”