•HRES 263 IH 
Whereas many children in the foster care system have spent 
multiple years in foster care programs and have experi-
enced an unstable home life due to frequent moves from 
one foster home to another; 
Whereas approximately 50 percent of foster care children 
have been placed in foster care programs for longer than 
1 year; 
Whereas 25 percent of foster care children have been placed 
in foster care programs for at least 3 years; 
Whereas children in foster care programs for longer periods 
of time often experience worse outcomes than children in 
foster care programs for shorter periods of time; 
Whereas children in foster care programs are more likely 
than the general population to become teen parents, to 
rely on public assistance as adults, to become homeless, 
and to experience mental health disorders at a higher 
rate; 
Whereas repeated studies have shown that a child’s very early 
years are critical for brain development, meaning that it 
is extremely important to find suitable permanent homes 
for children during this critical period; 
Whereas less than half of the children in foster care pro-
grams who are available for adoption each year are 
adopted; 
Whereas there are 119,000 children eligible for adoption 
every year who do not get adopted; 
Whereas a stable home is critical to a child’s development; 
and 
Whereas every child deserves to be raised by a loving family: 
Now, therefore, be it 
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•HRES 263 IH 
Resolved, That in recognition of National Foster Care 
Month and in order to improve the foster care system 
throughout the United States, it is the sense of the House 
of Representatives that Congress should take the following 
actions: 
(1) Provide Federal adoption assistance to chil-
dren adopted from the foster care system, including 
guardianship assistance. 
(2) Provide sufficient funds to States and units 
of local government to ensure that all levels of gov-
ernment are protecting foster children, including by 
hiring enough skilled caseworkers to track the 
progress of every child in the foster care system. 
(3) Provide sufficient funds for State and local 
court systems to improve oversight of foster care 
programs and to protect children in their jurisdic-
tion by— 
(A) creating more meaningful opportuni-
ties for children and parents to participate in 
court proceedings, including the provision of a 
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for 
every child in the foster care system; 
(B) training court personnel alone and in 
conjunction with child welfare agency staff and 
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•HRES 263 IH 
others involved in protecting and caring for 
children; and 
(C) collaborating with child welfare agen-
cies to collect and share all relevant data and 
information that will assist appropriate govern-
ment officials in making better decisions lead-
ing to more positive outcomes for children in 
foster care programs. 
(4) Increase the quantity of qualified attorneys 
who practice before courts with jurisdiction over 
children in foster care by— 
(A) requiring that States adopt standards 
of practice, preparation, education, and com-
pensation for these attorneys; 
(B) supporting student loan forgiveness 
programs and other efforts to encourage quali-
fied attorneys to practice in this area; and 
(C) encouraging law schools, bar associa-
tions, and law firms to build a pool of qualified 
attorneys to practice in this area. 
(5) Ensure that improving the foster care sys-
tem remains a top priority for both Congress and 
the Nation. 
Æ 
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