Prepared Floor Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Grassley: Recognizing May as National Foster Care Month
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan first recognized May as National Foster Care Month.
Every year since, the month of May has been recognized as a time to bring awareness to the needs of America’s youth who are placed in foster care.
It’s also important to recognize organizations in Iowa and around the country tirelessly serving kids and families in our foster care system.
I salute these organizations and individuals for their year-round efforts to support the kids most in need.
In 2021, there were nearly 400,000 kids in foster care. More than 4,000 are in my home state of Iowa.
Older youth in foster care, and adults who experienced foster care as a child can speak to what worked for them, and what didn’t work.
They should have a seat at the table and a voice in making policy about foster care.
When I founded the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth in 2009, the special focus of the caucus was to hear directly from young people in foster care.
We also wanted to hear from those who’ve “aged-out” of the system without having a permanent place to call home.
Over and over again, I have heard an urgent point of view from kids and teenagers in foster care; they want a mom and dad. They want a family. They want a place to call home.
All children, no matter their circumstances, deserve a permanent, loving home. They need consistent, caring adults in their lives.
This year during Foster Care Month, I want to give special recognition to the families who answer the call to help vulnerable children and teens in their communities.
My resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month also marks May 31st as a particular day to celebrate and show appreciation for foster parents.
Throughout my years in the U.S. Senate, I have worked to keep families together. For example, I’ve expanded access to prevention services to help parents safely keep custody of their children during substance abuse treatment.
The family is the bedrock of our society, and we must work to strengthen the family in the hopes of keeping vulnerable children out of foster care in the first place.
At the same time, it’s important we support foster parents. They answer the call to take into their homes children and teens who have experienced trauma in their young lives. They deserve recognition and support.
In Iowa, almost every county has a shortage of foster parents who are able to provide a temporary home for kids.
Without volunteer foster parents, kids who cannot remain safely at home often end up sleeping in hotels and in the offices of social workers.
I’ve introduced a bipartisan bill called the Recruiting Families Using Data Act. This legislation would improve how states recruit foster parents and help ensure they are supported and heard.
It would help states conduct targeted recruitment for specific areas of need, and help kids get matched with the best family for their individual circumstances.
We know that having at least one loving adult in their lives can meaningfully improve the academic, social and emotional well-being of kids. That positive experience lasts long into adulthood.
When family reunification is not an option, we know that adoption can provide a permanent, loving home for a child in need.
Recent data show that adoptions from foster care are declining, with 12,000 fewer children being adopted in 2021 than in 2019.
Currently, more than 100,000 kids are waiting for adoption across our country, including more than 1,000 in Iowa.
By improving support for foster families, we can help increase adoptions for kids who are placed in foster care.
Moving forward, Congress must continue to work to find more solutions and secure better outcomes for youth in foster care.
Whether the best choice is family reunification, adoption or living with relatives, the goal will always be the same: to protect kids from neglect and abuse and provide them with love and support.
I urge my colleagues to pass my resolution to recognize May as National Foster Care Month once again.
I will continue to lead efforts with members of our bipartisan Senate Caucus on Foster Youth to help these young Americans achieve their full potential and have a place to call home for the rest of their lives.
I yield the floor.
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