Rep. Davis Celebrates Committee Passage of His Bipartisan Bill to Reform Child Welfare to Protect America’s Children

Rep. Davis Celebrates Committee Passage of His Bipartisan Bill to Reform Child Welfare to Protect America’s Children

<span>Rep. Davis Celebrates Committee Passage of His Bipartisan Bill to Reform Child Welfare to Protect America’s Children</span> <div class="evo-press-release__field-evo-subtitle">Bill Would Increase Guaranteed Funding for Key Child Welfare Services for the First Time Since 2006</div> <span><span>Jill.Hunter-Wi…</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-07-24T19:22:57-04:00" title="Wednesday, July 24, 2024 - 19:22">Wed, 07/24/2024 - 19:22</time> </span> <div class="evo-press-release__field-evo-featured-media"> <div class="media-item media-image default"> <div class="image__field-media-image"> <div class="field__label font-weight-bold visually-hidden"> Image </div> <div class="field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="http://davis.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/davis.house.gov/files/styles/large/public/evo-media-image/DKD_IVB_markup.jpg?itok=I4YPAEBv" width="360" height="480" alt="Davis Advocates Passage of His Bipartisan Child Welfare with Rep. LaHood" class="img-fluid"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="evo-press-release__body"><p class="text-align-justify"><span><span><strong>WASHINGTON, D.C.</strong> – This week, Danny K. Davis (D-IL) celebrated the passage by the House Committee on Ways and Means of his bipartisan legislation with Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) to reauthorize and reform child welfare programs under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. The bipartisan <strong><em>Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act </em></strong>(H.R. 9076) reauthorizes Title IV-B and delivers the first increase in guaranteed funding since 2006. With approximately 369,000 children currently in foster care, this legislation offers vital assistance to help strengthen and keep families together and support the safety and well-being of children in foster care. &nbsp;</span></span></p> <p class="text-align-justify">The <em>Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act</em> encompasses policies from <a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2024/07/02/bipartisan-ways-and-means-members-introduce-legislation-to-modernize-child-welfare-program/">16 different pieces of legislation from both Republican and Democrat members of the Ways and Means Committee</a>. The bill follows the Committee’s extensive, year-long review of the nation’s child welfare programs to identify areas where these programs could better serve children and families.&nbsp; The bill championed by Reps. Davis and LaHood received unanimous support.&nbsp;</p> <p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL)</strong> said, “I am proud to join with Chair LaHood in leading this important bill that will increase guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program for the first time since 2006. In addition to providing essential new funding for both state and tribal agencies to strengthen families, this bill includes significant investments and policy updates to improve child safety and well-being. For example, it invests in aiding kinship caregivers in finding needed resources, in evidence-based programs that successfully help parents overcome substance use disorders to safely care for their children, and in independent legal representation to address racial inequities in child welfare. This bill also provides for new demonstration projects to promote meaningful relationships between foster youth and their incarcerated parents, powerful relationships that support both parents and youth.”</p> <p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL)</strong> said, “Following our year-long review of the Title IV-B child welfare program, listening to stakeholders, state administrators, and those with lived experience on the most pressing challenges, I am proud to introduce the <em>Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act</em>. This bipartisan package reauthorizes Title IV-B for five years and implements critical reforms to modernize and strengthen the program, providing essential support to America's children. As Chairman of the Work and Welfare Subcommittee, I am proud to have Ranking Member Danny Davis join this effort, and I am grateful to the members of the Ways and Means Committee whose significant involvement in this process has achieved meaningful reforms of Title IV-B. This commonsense approach will save taxpayer dollars, reduce administrative burdens, expand evidence-based services to prevent child abuse and neglect, and improve outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care.”</p> <p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA)</strong> said, “Our nation’s youth deserve safe, stable environments that allow them to grow, learn, and experience the richness of life. Today’s slate of legislation is the product of member collaboration across the aisle as well as listening to the lived experiences of so many Americans. The success of our children is our collective success, and I thank our many members for their c