Neal Opening Statement at Worker and Family Support Markup

(As prepared for delivery)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I appreciate the strong, bipartisan work by our colleagues that has resulted in the six bills we are marking up today. They listened carefully and importantly to young people who have experienced the uncertainty of foster care, and each of these bills is a thoughtful solution to specific problems they described. The genuine collaboration between Danny Davis and Darin LaHood is particularly apparent, and I applaud them for sticking with it. Mr. Chairman, I hope this isn’t where it ends, this legislation must head to the floor. It’s long overdue to enhance the Chafee program and reach even more former foster youth. 

That said, Democrats know these bills remain just a first step. We have lots of work left in front of us to ensure every child who experiences foster care has the opportunity to transition to adulthood and lead and live a successful life. 

The Chafee program is a strong example of Congress listening to the people affected by our decisions and investing in the kind of help that they really need. There isn’t much better use of federal dollars than to help foster youth overcome their tough beginnings and transition into an adult life where they have good jobs, a place to live, and people who love them. These are investments in our future and in our families.

However, the program only currently reaches about a fourth of the youth who need our help, and when it does, it often falls short of providing everything they need. Gwen Moore’s CONNECT Act would help refocus the Chafee program to reach further and ensure children who have been in foster care have strong, lifelong relationships with adults and peers to help them navigate life the same way all of us help our children even after they become adults. We must make sure that the Chafee program, whose funding has essentially stagnated since 1999, has the resources to serve every former foster youth who needs our help. 

I know my colleagues recognize the persistent challenges and areas we need to keep working at. I hope they will continue working together and that our markups on these issues won’t end here. We have much more to do. 

I yield back.

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