(S. 1956/H.R. 4688): The
Tribal Foster Care and Adoption Act of 2007 would help Indian tribes
better address the needs of Native American children in foster care by
allowing direct access to Title IV-E federal foster care and adoption
assistance funds. Currently, only those Indian Tribes that have
developed a special contract with a state can receive federal
reimbursement for providing child welfare supports and services. Without
access to reliable federal funding, Tribes will continue to struggle to
provide the full array of programs needed to help keep families together
and reduce the need for foster care.
This measure was introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max
Baucus (D-MT) with strong bipartisan support. Original co-sponsors
include Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Gordon
Smith (R-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), John McCain (R-AZ), Maria Cantwell
(D-WA) and Carl Levin (D-MI). A companion bill was introduced in the
House by Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and bipartisan members of
the House Ways and Means Committee, including Representative Dave Camp
(R-MI) and Ranking Member Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) and
Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The Senate version continues to
add cosponsors with Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) joining his Montana
colleague Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) in support of the bill.
(S. 1462 / H.R. 4091): The Adoption
Equality Act of 2007 would open doors to adoption for thousands of
children in foster care by allowing all special needs children in foster
care to receive federal adoption assistance payments. This measure was
introduced by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), a long time champion of
children in foster care, and is supported by Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison (R-TX). Representative Jim Cooper (D-TN) sponsored a companion
bill in the House with the support of bipartisan colleagues. |
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(H.R. 4207) The Partnership for Children and Families Act
ntroduced by Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV), strengthens the
federal/state partnership for both adoption assistance and foster care
maintenance by eliminating the outdated income eligibility restriction
for IV-E that prevent all abused and neglected children from being
eligible for federal foster care support. The legislation also makes
improvements to ensure that all children with special needs in foster
care are eligible for adoption assistance. In addition, the bill would
allow states to reinvest savings related to safely reducing the days
children spend in foster care in other child welfare services, such as
those that help children and families prevent the need for foster care
in the first place.
(H.R. 2188 / S. 661): The Kinship Caregiver Support Act will
enable thousands of children in foster care to leave the system to join
permanent loving homes by giving states the option to use federal IV-E
funding to support relatives who become legal guardians of children they
have been caring for as foster parents. The bill also establishes the
Kinship Navigator Program to help relative caregivers learn about
and access existing programs and services. Bill sponsors Senators
Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) continue to gain support
in the Senate for this legislation, with co-sponsorship reaching 22 in
the Senate. House bill sponsors Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL) and
Tim Johnson (R-IL) also continue to grow support for their bipartisan
bill, with a total of 34 supports so far in the House. |
