House advances Feenstra’s bill to bolster parent numbers in foster care, adoption

The U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 18 approved bipartisan legislation offered by U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) to improve foster and adoptive parent recruitment and retention.

“I’m proud that my bill to support foster families and children passed the U.S. House of Representatives, demonstrating my commitment to uplifting our children and finding a home for every kid in the foster care system,” said Rep. Feenstra on Tuesday.

The Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2023, H.R. 3058, which Rep. Feenstra and U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) cosponsored in May 2023 alongside bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), advanced to the U.S. Senate on Jan. 22 where it was referred to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee for consideration. The committee is already reviewing the identical S. 1313, introduced in April 2023 by U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

If enacted, the bill would require state plans for child welfare services to provide for the development and implementation of a family partnership plan to improve foster care placement stability, increase rates of kinship placements, and align the composition of foster and adoptive families with the needs of children in or entering foster care, according to the congressional record bill summary.

Additionally, the bill would require the Children’s Bureau of the Office of the Administration for Children and Families to include in its annual report information from states about the number, demographics, and characteristics of foster and adoptive families, as well as a summary of the challenges related to recruiting and being foster or adoptive parents, the summary says.

“Many vulnerable children in our foster care system lack a family that they can call their own due to a shortage of foster families and a nationwide inability to retain generous families willing to foster. That must change,” said Rep. Feenstra. “With the right tools and resources, I am confident that we can end this crisis and ensure that every child can chase their dreams with a loving support system around them.”