IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 659 
Expressing support for the designation of September 2021 as ‘‘National 
Kinship Care Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 
Ms. BASS (for herself, Mr. BACON, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mrs. LAWRENCE, and Mr. 
MULLIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of September 2021 
as ‘‘National Kinship Care Month’’. 
Whereas, in September 2021, ‘‘National Kinship Care 
Month’’ is observed; 
Whereas, nationally, 2,800,000 children are living in kinship 
care with grandparents, other relatives, and family 
friends (also referred to as ‘‘fictive kin’’); 
Whereas, nationally, more than 133,405 children in foster 
care are placed in kinship foster care, with more than 
2,667,000 children supported by kin outside of the foster 
care system; 
Whereas grandparents and other relatives are increasingly 
providing caring homes for children because of the opioid 
crisis; 
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•HRES 659 IH 
Whereas grandparents and other relatives residing in urban, 
rural, and suburban households in every county of the 
United States have stepped forward out of love and loy-
alty to care for children during times in which biological 
parents are unable to do so; 
Whereas kinship caregivers provide safety, promote well- 
being, and establish stable households for vulnerable chil-
dren; 
Whereas kinship care enables a child— 
(1) to maintain family relationships and cultural 
heritage; and 
(2) to remain in the community of the child; 
Whereas kinship care is a national resource that provides lov-
ing homes for children at risk; 
Whereas kinship caregivers face daunting challenges to keep 
countless children from entering foster care; 
Whereas the House of Representatives is proud to recognize 
the many kinship care families in which a child is raised 
by grandparents or other relatives; 
Whereas the House of Representatives wishes to honor the 
many kinship caregivers who throughout the history of 
the United States have provided loving homes for 
parentless children; 
Whereas National Kinship Care Month provides an oppor-
tunity to urge people in every State to join in recognizing 
and celebrating kinship caregiving families and the tradi-
tion of families in the United States to help raise chil-
dren; 
Whereas much remains to be done to ensure that all children 
have a safe, loving, nurturing, and permanent family, re-
gardless of age or special needs; 
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•HRES 659 IH 
Whereas, during the COVID–19 pandemic, kinship caregivers 
who are often older grandparents with health vulnerabili-
ties are parenting children in their homes, often without 
supports; 
Whereas, since more that 40 States and the District of Co-
lumbia have over 300 laws related to kinship caregiving 
and there are many Federal child welfare laws, it is clear 
that kinship care is acknowledged as the nationally ac-
cepted term for grandparents, relatives, and fictive kin 
who are caring for children; 
Whereas over 40 States are implementing kinship navigator 
services that support kinship caregivers who are not fos-
ter parents; and 
Whereas States increasingly rely on kin as foster parents, 
and are working to increase the percentages of kinship 
foster care: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Kin-
ship Care Month’’; 
(2) encourages the Congress to implement poli-
cies to improve the lives of vulnerable children and 
families; 
(3) honors the commitment and dedication of 
kinship caregivers and the advocates and allies who 
work tirelessly to provide assistance and services to 
kinship caregiving families; and 
(4) reaffirms the need to continue working to 
improve the outcomes of all vulnerable children 
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•HRES 659 IH 
through parts B and E of title IV of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), and other pro-
grams designed— 
(A) to support vulnerable families; 
(B) to invest in prevention and reunifica-
tion services; and 
(C) to ensure that extended family mem-
bers who take on the role of kinship caregivers 
receive the necessary support. 
Æ 
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