I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5436 
To improve foster care court capacity through loan forgiveness and 
performance measurement. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 19, 2006 
Mr. SCHIFF (for himself and Ms. HART) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to 
the Committees on Education and the Workforce and Judiciary, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve foster care court capacity through loan 
forgiveness and performance measurement. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fostering Our Future 
Act of 2006’’. 
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SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO COURTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 13712(b) of the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 629b) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible for a grant 
under this section: 
‘‘(1) APPLICATION.—A highest State court 
shall submit to the Secretary an application at such 
time, in such form, and including such information 
and assurances as the Secretary shall require. 
‘‘(2) MEASURES OF COURT PERFORMANCE.— 
There shall be in effect in the State such laws and 
procedures as are necessary to ensure that the 
courts of the State measure the following with re-
spect to children under the jurisdiction of the courts: 
‘‘(A) The percentage of children who do 
not have a subsequent petition of maltreatment 
filed in court after the initial such petition is 
filed. 
‘‘(B) The percentage of children who are 
the subject of additional allegations of maltreat-
ment within 12 months after the original peti-
tion was closed. 
‘‘(C) The percentages of children who 
reach legal permanency within 6 months after 
removal, within 12 months thereafter, within 18 
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months thereafter, and within 24 months there-
after. 
‘‘(D) The percentage of children who do 
not reach permanency in the foster care system. 
‘‘(E) The percentages of children who re- 
enter foster care pursuant to court order within 
12 months after being returned to their fami-
lies, and within 24 months thereafter. 
‘‘(F) The percentages of children who re-
turn to foster care pursuant to court order 
within 12 months after being adopted or placed 
with an individual or couple who are permanent 
guardians, and within 24 months thereafter. 
‘‘(G) The percentages of children who are 
transferred among 1, 2, 3, or more placements 
while under court jurisdiction, distinguishing, 
where possible, between placements in and out 
of a child’s own home from multiple placements 
in a variety of environments. 
‘‘(H) The percentage of cases in which 
both parents receive written service of process 
within the required time standards or where no-
tice of hearing has been waived by parties. 
‘‘(I) The percentage of cases in which 
there is documentation that timely and proper 
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notice is given to parties in advance of the next 
hearing. 
‘‘(J) The percentage of cases in which chil-
dren who have attained 10 years of age receive 
notice of the legal proceedings in their depend-
ency case; the percentage of cases in which chil-
dren who have attained 10 years of age are 
present in court and afforded an opportunity to 
be heard in their own cases; and the percentage 
of cases in which children have legal representa-
tion. 
‘‘(K) The percentage of cases in which the 
court reviews case plans within established time 
guidelines. 
‘‘(L) The percentage of children receiving 
legal counsel, guardians ad litem, or court-ap-
pointed special advocates before the preliminary 
protective hearing or equivalent, with separate 
measures of the percentages of each type of 
representation and of whether the representa-
tion was received within established time guide-
lines, within 5 days after the adoption petition 
is filed, within 6 through 10 days after the fil-
ing, and within more than 10 days after the fil-
ing. 
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‘‘(M) The percentage of cases in which 
counsel for parents are appointed before the 
preliminary protective hearing or equivalent, 
with separate measures of the percentages in 
which such appointments are made within es-
tablished time guidelines, within 5 days after 
the adoption petition is filed, within 6 through 
10 days after the filing, and within more than 
10 days after the filing. 
‘‘(N) The percentage of cases in which 
legal counsel for children is appointed on or be-
fore the first court appearance, and the per-
centage of cases in which legal counsel for chil-
dren changes, and the number of changes in-
volved. 
‘‘(O) The percentage of cases in which 
legal counsel for parents changes, and the num-
ber of changes involved. 
‘‘(P) The percentage of cases in which 
legal counsel for parents, children, and agencies 
are present at each hearing. 
‘‘(Q) The percentages of children for whom 
all hearings are heard by 1 or more judicial of-
ficers, and the number of judicial officers hear-
ing the case. 
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‘‘(R) The average and median times from 
filing the original petition to adjudication. 
‘‘(S) The average and median times from 
filing the original petition to disposition. 
‘‘(T) The percentages of cases that are ad-
judicated within 30 days after the filing of the 
dependency petition, within 60 days thereafter, 
and within 90 days thereafter. 
‘‘(U) The percentages of cases that receive 
a disposition within 10 days after the depend-
ency adjudication, within 30 days thereafter, 
and within 90 days thereafter. 
‘‘(V) The percentage of cases where chil-
dren are successfully served in the home and 
not detained; the average and median times to 
reunification; and the percentage of cases where 
children are not successfully reunified. 
‘‘(W) The average and median times from 
the filing of the original petition to permanent 
placement. 
‘‘(X) The average and median times from 
the filing of the original petition to finalized 
termination of parental rights. 
‘‘(Y) The percentages of cases for which 
the termination petition is filed within 3 months 
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after the dependency disposition, within 6 
months thereafter, within 12 months thereafter, 
and within 18 months thereafter. 
‘‘(Z) The percentage of cases that receive 
a termination order within 30 days after the fil-
ing of the termination petition, within 90 days 
thereafter, within 120 days thereafter, and 
within 180 days thereafter. 
‘‘(AA) The percentages of cases for which 
an adoption petition is filed within 1 month 
after the termination order, within 3 months 
thereafter, and within 6 months thereafter. 
‘‘(BB) The percentages of cases for which 
the adoption is finalized within 1 month after 
the adoption petition is filed, within 3 months 
thereafter, within 6 months thereafter, and 
within 12 months thereafter. 
‘‘(CC) The percentage of hearings (by 
hearing type) not completed within timeframes 
set forth in statute or court rules, including, 
where possible, the reason for noncompletion.’’. 
(b) STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT FOR FAMILY LAW, 
DEPENDENCY, 
AND
DOMESTIC
RELATIONS
ATTOR-
NEYS.— 
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