Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fostering the Future Act; a bipartisan piece of legislation focused on strengthening and modernizing the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee) to improve outcomes for foster youth across America. Congressman LaHood Chairs the Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee, where he worked alongside First Lady Melania Trump, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08), and his colleagues to usher this bill through the legislative process.
"As Chairman of the Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee, I have been proud to work alongside the First Lady and my colleagues over the last year to develop and introduce the first comprehensive reforms to the Chafee program since 1999," said Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood. "This bipartisan legislation ensures that federal resources make it to those that need them most, and expands access to education, housing, and workforce training for foster youth to assist in their transition to adulthood. I thank my colleagues in the House for supporting this legislation, and I look forward to continuing my work to uplift and support the most vulnerable among us."
“The historic passage of the Fostering the Future Act is a testament to the dedicated leadership of Chairman LaHood and our colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee, particularly on the Work and Welfare Subcommittee, who worked across the aisle and built strong, bipartisan support for reform,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith. “I commend Chairman LaHood for taking the time to listen directly to the lived experiences of foster youth and turn their stories into meaningful, bipartisan legislation that addresses the unique challenges facing foster youth today as they transition to adulthood. These reforms will meet the inspirational call for change from our First Lady, Melania Trump, whose Fostering the Future initiative has given a voice to the voiceless and helped shine a spotlight on desperately needed solutions. This legislation will help ensure young people in the foster care program are given a fair shot in their path to self-sufficiency and work to achieve a brighter, more independent future.”
Background:
The Fostering the Future Act is comprised of six different pieces of legislation, all contributing to reforming the foster care system and providing more opportunities for foster youth to successfully transition to adulthood. All six bipartisan bills were approved unanimously in the House Ways & means Committee in April of 2026.
The bills included are:
- H.R. 7432 - Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act
- Led by Chairman LaHood and Rep. Gwen Moore
- H.R. 7529 - Fresh Starts for Foster Youth Act
- Led by Chairman LaHood and Ranking Member Danny Davis
- H.R. 7995 - Chafee Opportunities for New Networks and Existing Connection Trust (CONNECT) Act
- Led by Rep Mike Carey and Rep. Gwen Moore
- H.R. 7655 - Support for Expectant Foster Youth Act
- Ranking Member Danny Davis and Rep. Rudy Yakym
- H.R. 7343 - Foster Youth Workforce Opportunity Act
- Led by Rep. Max Miller and Rep. Dwight Evans
- H.R. 7463 - Foster Youth Postsecondary Education Access and Success Act
- Led by Rep. Nathaniel Moran and Rep. Judy Chu
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