I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2953 
To require States to take certain additional steps to assist children in foster 
care in making the transition to independent living, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 
Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself and Mr. STARK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To require States to take certain additional steps to assist 
children in foster care in making the transition to inde-
pendent living, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Foster Youth Financial 
Security Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT THAT STATES TAKE CERTAIN ADDI-
TIONAL STEPS TO ASSIST CHILDREN IN FOS-
TER CARE IN MAKING THE TRANSITION TO 
INDEPENDENT LIVING. 
(a) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 477(b)(2) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677(b)(2)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) With respect to each child in foster 
care under the responsibility of the State— 
‘‘(i) within 6 months after the first 
case review of the case of the child, and 
annually thereafter, obtain from each con-
sumer reporting agency (as defined in sec-
tion 603(p) of the Fair Credit Reporting 
Act) any consumer report (as defined in 
section 603(d) of such Act) on the child, 
share the report with the child and the at-
torney and guardian ad litem of the child, 
and assist the child in resolving any inac-
curacy in the report; and 
‘‘(ii) if the child has attained 14 years 
of age— 
‘‘(I) assist the child in preparing 
to obtain, and in obtaining (as appro-
priate and in accordance with State 
law), a learner’s permit and a license 
to operate a motor vehicle; 
‘‘(II) if the child has obtained a 
license to operate a motor vehicle, as-
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sist the child in obtaining automobile 
insurance; 
‘‘(III) assist the child in applying 
to, attending, securing financial aid 
for, and completing a postsecondary 
education or vocational training pro-
gram; 
‘‘(IV) help determine if the child 
is eligible or potentially eligible for a 
Federal or State benefit, inform the 
child of the eligibility or potential eli-
gibility, and assist the child in apply-
ing for any such benefit and in ap-
pealing any denial of any such benefit; 
‘‘(V) establish and manage an in-
dividual development account for the 
child using funds provided under this 
section, in accordance with subsection 
(k); 
‘‘(VI) assist the child, and the 
foster parents or kinship care pro-
viders (or, if the child has been placed 
with a biological parent or other pro-
spective parent or guardian, the bio-
logical parent or other such parent or 
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guardian) of the child in becoming 
educated about youth independence fi-
nancial matters, especially matters re-
lating to the successful transition of 
the child to independent living, by 
providing education in budgeting and 
financial management, applying for 
credit (especially student loans), job 
readiness, obtaining health care and 
health insurance, and obtaining and 
maintaining affordable and stable 
housing, with the goal of enabling the 
child, as an adult, to attain stable 
housing and employment, avoid de-
pendence on government assistance, 
and achieve financial self-sufficiency; 
‘‘(VII) ensure that the child has 
a State-issued identification card; 
‘‘(VIII) assist the child in open-
ing a personal bank account; and 
‘‘(IX) ensure that the child is 
provided with information on access-
ing health care after the child exits 
from foster care.’’. 
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