IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 542 
Expressing support for the designation of September 2019 as ‘‘National 
Kinship Care Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 27, 2019 
Ms. BASS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of September 2019 
as ‘‘National Kinship Care Month’’. 
Whereas in September 2019, ‘‘National Kinship Care Month’’ 
is observed; 
Whereas nationally 7,700,000 children are living in kinship 
care with grandparents or other relatives; 
Whereas nationally more than 139,017 kinship children in 
foster care are placed with grandparents or other rel-
atives, with more than 2,600,000 kinship children sup-
ported outside of the foster care system; 
Whereas grandparents and other relatives are increasingly 
providing caring homes for children because of the opioid 
crisis; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:45 Aug 27, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR542.IH
HR542
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
•HRES 542 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; and 
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: Now, therefore, be it 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:45 Aug 27, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR542.IH
HR542
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
•HRES 542 IH 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Kin-
ship Care Month’’; 
(2) encourages Congress to implement policies 
to improve the lives of vulnerable children and fami-
lies; 
(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 
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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:45 Aug 27, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR542.IH
HR542
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS