“By spearheading the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, we will build on the important work of my dear friend and former colleague Karen Bass and keep working to champion our nation’s most vulnerable young people – in a bipartisan manner. We all come from different perspectives and backgrounds, but we all share a passion for helping our foster youth. I was blessed to know Dosha DJay Joi, who left this world too soon but who lived up to his name and whose passionate advocacy for foster youth continues to motivate my work today. I look forward to working to advance policies to uplift individuals by working with those with lived experiences in the child welfare system and passionate community advocates,” said Chairwoman Gwen Moore (D-WI).
“As a foster to adopt parent, I am humbled to continue to serve as a co-chair for the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, and I look forward to building on the work we already have accomplished,” said Co-Chairman Don Bacon (R-NE). “We can help assure these children that they are safe when they enter the foster care system, we can provide them with clothing and food, and we can lay the groundwork for their lives after the foster care system. This caucus has accomplished much, and I look forward to working with our new co-chairs to make a difference.”
“Before coming to Congress, I spent decades working as a child advocate, seeing firsthand the challenges that young people and those who serve them are up against in our child welfare system,” said Co-Chairwoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA). “It’s why one of my top priorities in Congress is to confront the challenges of our child welfare system, support the children it serves, and provide the resources their dedicated families, social workers, and care professionals need to ensure they can grow and thrive. I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue leading on this important work as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth.”
“The Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth is advancing bipartisan, meaningful legislation to help streamline foster and adoption services, and I couldn’t be more honored to serve as a Co-Chair. As a parent to two foster children myself, I know the unique challenges that foster children and their families face. We need to remember why we do this: it’s for the kids. I’m looking forward to working on policies that will directly benefit the lives of children who need it most,” said Co-Chairman Zach Nunn (R-IA).
“I am proud to carry the torch passed down from Mayor Karen Bass to protect and uplift the over 400,000 children that are currently in foster care around the country,” Co-Chairwoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove said (D-CA). “During my time on the LA County Commission on Children and Families in the California State Assembly, I heard the stories of thousands of youth who aged out of the system without a positive support network. There were others still in the system who were not being given access to a safe place to sleep or enough food to eat. This is not how we should be treating the most vulnerable and precious among us, our children. For a child to be removed from their home and placed into foster care is already a traumatic experience. We have a responsibility to care for and support these children, not just while they are in the system but throughout their journey into adulthood. I’m honored to stand by our foster youth as we fight for a better way.”
“Our office is looking forward to helping lead the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth and advocating for the specific needs of the young people who count on our support the most. With a personal passion for the issue, we will fight for policies to create lasting change and make our nation a better place for the most vulnerable young people in our country,” said Co-Chairwoman Nancy Mace (R-SC).
Members of the Bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth include: Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-Il), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), Shontel Brown, Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Adam Smith (D-WA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), French Hill (R-AR), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), David Trone (D-MD), Katie Porter (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Tony Gonzales (R-TX), and David Cicilline (D-RI).
