Fostering Connections to Success Act

To amend parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act to assist children in foster care in developing or maintaining connections to family, community, support, health care, and school, and for other purposes.

6/24/2008--Passed House amended. (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Fostering Connections to Success Act -
(Sec. 2) Amends Part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to give state plans the option of providing for the state to enter into agreements to provide kinship guardianship assistance payments to grandparents and other relatives who have assumed legal guardianship of children for whom they have cared as foster parents and for whom they have committed to care on a permanent basis.
(Sec. 3) Amends SSA title IV part B (Child and Family Services) to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants to state, local, or tribal child welfare agencies, and experienced private nonprofit organizations to help children in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family members.
(Sec. 4) Requires the applicable state agency, within 30 days after placing a child in foster care, to attempt to:
(1) locate and notify any of the child's adult family members of the child's removal from parental custody; and
(2) explain the options for participating in the child's care and placement.
(Sec. 5) Gives states the option of covering under part E certain children in foster care, and certain children in an adoptive or guardianship placement, after attaining age 18.

(Sec. 6) Provides for short-term training for child welfare agencies and prospective relative guardians.
Phases in increased expenditures for such training.
(Sec. 7) Allows an Indian tribe to receive direct federal SSA title IV part E funds if specified requirements are met. Authorizes an Indian tribe to receive a portion of a state plan allotment as part of an agreement to operate the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program.
(Sec. 8) Requires each state child welfare services plan to provide that the state will develop a plan for the ongoing oversight and coordination of health care services for any child in a foster care placement.
(Sec. 9) Requires case plans under SSA title B or E to include a plan for ensuring the educational stability of the child while in foster care. Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide assurances that each child who has attained the minimum age for compulsory school attendance under state law, and with respect to whom there is eligibility for a payment under the state plan, is a full-time elementary or secondary school student or has completed secondary school.
(Sec. 10) Provides for joint placement of siblings in the same foster care, kinship guardianship, or adoptive placement unless it would be contrary to the safety or well being of any of the siblings.
(Sec. 11) Revises the adoption incentives payment program, extending it for five years through FY2013, and providing for an increase in incentive payments for special needs adoptions and older child adoptions among other changes.
(Sec. 12) Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that the state will inform any individual who is adopting, or considering adopting, a child in foster care of the individual's potential eligibility for a federal tax credit.
(Sec. 13) Revises the formula for federal payments to the District of Columbia for foster care and adoption assistance to make the principal factor in the formula a payment of 70% of the total amount expended during a quarter as foster care maintenance and adoption assistance payments (thus modifying the District of Columbia foster care matching rate to conform with the Medicaid matching rate).
(Sec. 14) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the collection of unemployment compensation debts resulting from fraud.
(Sec. 15) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to invest U.S. operating cash in repurchase agreements with acceptable parties.


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Sponsor

• Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
• and 27 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Xavier Becerra [D, CA-31]
  • Rep. Shelley Berkley [D, NV-1]
  • Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D, OR-3]
  • Rep. Robert Brady [D, PA-1]
  • Rep. Dennis Cardoza [D, CA-18]
  • Rep. John Conyers [D, MI-14]
  • Rep. Jim Cooper [D, TN-5]
  • Rep. Joseph Crowley [D, NY-7]
  • Rep. Artur Davis [D, AL-7]
  • Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
  • Rep. Philip English [R, PA-3]
  • Rep. Chaka Fattah [D, PA-2]
  • Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
  • Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
  • Rep. Stephanie Jones [D, OH-11]
  • Rep. John Larson [D, CT-1]
  • Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
  • Rep. George Miller [D, CA-7]
  • Rep. Earl Pomeroy [D, ND-0]
  • Rep. Jon Porter [R, NV-3]
  • Rep. Linda Sanchez [D, CA-39]
  • Rep. Hilda Solis [D, CA-32]
  • Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]
  • Rep. Gene Taylor [D, MS-4]
  • Rep. Patrick Tiberi [R, OH-12]
  • Rep. Christopher Van Hollen [D, MD-8]
  • Rep. Gerald Weller [R, IL-11]
  close

Committees

• House Ways and Means
• 1 more
  • Senate Finance
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.6307

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
June 19, 2008		June 24, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Jun 25, 2008: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Jun 24, 2008. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
• Jun 24, 2008: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6307.
• Jun 24, 2008: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Jun 24, 2008: Mr. McDermott moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• Jun 19, 2008: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
• Introduced on Jun 19, 2008.

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Related Issue Areas:

• Welfare
• Vocational education
• Unemployment insurance
• Taxation
• 54 more
• Tax credits
• Students
• Student enrollment
• State and local government
• Siblings
• Secondary education
• Minorities
• Medicine
• Medical care
• Legal fees
• Law
• Labor
• Job training
• Investment of public funds
• Intergovernmental fiscal relations
• Indigenous peoples
• Indians
• Indian children
• Income tax
• Immigration
• Illegal aliens
• Identification of criminals
• Home schooling
• Higher education
• Health insurance
• Guardian and ward
• Grants-in-aid
• Grandparents
• Government publicity
• Government information
• Fraud
• Foster home care
• Fingerprints
• Federal-local relations
• Federal aid to Indians
• Family services
• Families
• Elementary education
• Elementary and secondary education
• Education
• District of Columbia
• Disabled
• Custody of children
• Criminal justice
• Collection of accounts
• Child welfare
• Child health
• Caregivers
• Budgets
• Authorization
• Alaska
• Adoption
• Administrative fees
• Children

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In the News

June 25, 2008 House of Representatives Passes Child Welfare Bill That Includes ...

Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed under suspension HR 6307, the “Fostering Connections to Success Act.” Representative McDermott (D-WA) ...

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Source: Tulsa Native American Times, OK

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June 20, 2008 Congressman Fattah Leads Bipartisan Effort on Child Welfare Reform

Congressman Fattah was honored to join his bipartisan colleagues in supporting HR 6307 ‘The Fostering Connections to Success Act.’ Introduced today in ...

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Source: eNews Park Forest, IL

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Blog Coverage

September 03, 2008 Fostering opportunity - HR 6307 - Connections to Success

Medical assisting is one of the fastest growing health care jobs. As the American and global population of western countries continues to age, this high growth of many health care jobs is expected to continue through at least the next ...

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August 04, 2008 Close to 30000 foster care youth in LA

Last month, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Fostering Connections to Success Act (HR 6307) -- the most important child-welfare legislation considered by Congress in a long time. This legislation addresses some of the ...

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Source: California Foster Care News

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July 29, 2008 Fostering opportunity - HR 6307 - Connections to Success

The Fostering Connections to Success Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Ill., and Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash, would extend federal foster-care payments to age 21 for youths who are pursuing a degree or starting a career.

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