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HR7432119th CongressWALLET

Fostering the Future Act

Sponsored By: Representative LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]

Passed House

Summary

Expand supports for foster youth transitioning to adulthood. This bill would modernize the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program to widen eligibility and add stronger education, housing, legal, and parenting supports for youth who experienced foster care at age 14 or older.

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  • Current and former foster youth and families: Makes youth who experienced foster care at 14 or older eligible for expanded services. It requires action to help youth build and keep lifelong adult and peer relationships and adds tailored case management for expectant and parenting youth, plus access to legal counseling for housing, education, employment, family connections, and permanency.
  • Education and training: Raises the Education and Training Voucher maximum to $12,000 and permits up to 6 years of support for youth in remedial education. Vouchers can cover community college, short-term Pell-eligible training, apprenticeships, GED and remedial instruction from credentialed instructors.
  • Housing and agency coordination: Adds housing access and supportive housing services, lets child welfare agencies partner with public housing authorities, and limits housing spending so that, on average over 5 years, no more than 30 percent of a State's allotment funds housing purposes. HHS and HUD must issue joint guidance and report on outcomes within 3 years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Bigger education vouchers for foster youth

If enacted, the maximum education and training voucher would rise to $12,000 per year. Youth who experienced foster care at age 14 or older would be able to use it for college, apprenticeships, GED costs, short-term Workforce Pell–eligible training, and approved remedial classes taught by credentialed instructors when no free option exists. Participation would be limited to 5 years, or up to 6 years with approved remedial education. States would need to do outreach and provide a simple electronic application. Most changes would start one year after enactment.

Better housing coordination for foster youth

If enacted, HHS and HUD would issue joint guidance within one year to align foster‑youth supportive services with Section 8(x) housing help. The guidance would explain policies and share best practices for child welfare agencies and housing authorities to partner. The program would also add "access to housing" as an activity and encourage these agencies to work together. Within three years, HHS would report to House and Senate committees on how many eligible youth get federal housing help, housing stability and homelessness rates, state evaluation findings, and recommended law changes.

Legal and parenting supports for foster youth

If enacted, the program would add access to legal counseling on housing, school, work, family ties, court records, and permanency. States would need to certify that case plans consider these legal issues. Foster youth in eligible families would be connected to evidence‑based home visiting services. It would also clarify access to housing for youth age 18 or older. These changes would begin one year after enactment.

Housing move-in help for foster youth renters

If enacted, States would be allowed to use foster‑youth funds to help with move‑in and housing costs for eligible youth under age 26 who receive Section 8(x) help. Services would include money management coaching, lease and rental‑insurance counseling, and help with security deposits, moving costs, and utility connection fees. These expenses would not count as room and board under program caps. This would start one year after enactment.

When these changes would start

If enacted, most changes would take effect one year after the bill is signed. If HHS decides a State needs a new non‑appropriations law to comply, that State would have until the first day of the first calendar quarter after its next regular legislative session. In States with two‑year sessions, each year would count as a separate session for this timing rule.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]

IL • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 2/9/2026

  • Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Schweikert, David [R-AZ-1]

    AZ • R

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 5/11/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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