Reichert, bipartisan group introduce Promoting Adoption and Legal Guardianship for Children in Foster Care Act

Human Resource Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), Human Resources Subcommittee Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Ranking Member Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the Promoting Adoption and Legal Guardianship for Children in Foster Care Act on Friday.

The act would reauthorize the program for three years while revising awards over that time period to focus on increasing adoption rates instead of the raw number of adoptions, which would ensure that state receive awards even while cost care caseloads continue to decline.

The act would also focus additional resources on increasing adoptions of older children, create a new award category for increases in the rate of children leaving foster care for legal guardianship and allow states to spend incentive funds over three years instead of two.

“Today, 100,000 children in foster care are waiting to be adopted. As a grandfather and uncle to four adopted children, I know firsthand the joy that a loving, stable home brings to the life of a child but even more so the many blessings that the child brings to their adoptive family,” Reichert said. “That’s why my first hearing as chairman of the Human Resources Subcommittee focused on how to help more of these children find permanent homes.

“This bill incorporates ideas we heard in that hearing as well as those submitted by the public, such as emphasizing adoption for older children who today have the least chance of finding a permanent home. This bipartisan bill will continue to strengthen this important program, ensuring more children grow up with a safe, loving, and permanent family.”