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Floor Speech
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Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, you might wonder how this Senator from Iowa gets involved in issues of foster youth.
Thirty years ago, I hired a staffer from Urbandale, IA, by the name of Sara Gesiriech. Sara now works for the First Lady in the White House on this issue of foster care. She was hired by me to work on banking and education issues, but she came to me 1 day and said: I was adopted by my parents, and there are a lot of things wrong with the foster care system in the United States.
So she said to me: Do you care if I work on that issue as well as the other issues you hired me to work on?
So that is the story behind my being involved with foster care issues.
You learn to listen to these kids who go from home to home maybe three times a year and change schools three times a year. If you listen to them, they say: I would like to have a mom and dad. I would like to have a permanent home. And that touches your heart.
The need to support children in America who want a mom and dad is more important now than it was even 30 years ago.
In 2025, there was an increase in the number of children who entered and were in foster care compared to 2024. Now, that increase is not the case in each and every State. For example, in Iowa, there was a slight decrease in the number of children in foster care from 2024 to 2025, demonstrating Iowa's success in supporting children and families.
At the Federal level, I am committed to exploring policy solutions that improve long-term outcomes for children in foster care. So the bill that I am introducing--the bipartisan bill that goes by the title of Recruiting Families Using Data Act--modifies decades-old Federal requirements and empowers States to develop family partnership plans that incorporate best practices with quality data. By integrating quality data and best practices, States are better equipped to address the needs of children in their care.
Today, I am releasing the discussion draft of legislation to support older youth in foster care. I do that by providing an opportunity for States to expand on services that help these young people achieve independence.
My draft legislation would also require the Government Accountability Office to study the funding formulas used to allocate Federal funds to States as part of the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood. That is a long name for a program written 25 or 30 years ago by former Senator Chafee of Rhode Island, who was also very much interested in this issue.
In January of 2025, the Government Accountability Office published a report that studied how States use the Chafee program to support older foster youth who are transitioning out of foster care, which is natural when they reach a certain age. Sometimes it is 18. Sometimes it might be a little bit older. Aging out of foster care is a traumatic time for these kids.
I asked for this report after it was brought to my attention that Chafee dollars were being returned while also hearing that not all eligible youth were being served by the program. As a cofounder and cochair of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, I continually hear of the challenges that foster youth face as they approach adulthood and how they can be better supported.
By the way, I would like to thank Senator Lujan of New Mexico for his cochairing this committee with me; so it is a very bipartisan effort.
Now, after getting this report, I look forward to getting feedback on how Federal programs can encourage foster youth to achieve self- sufficiency. We have a responsibility to protect children and their well-being.
As we recognize the month of May as being National Foster Care Month, it is my hope that we can continue to find solutions to see that every child has the chance to build a bright future and an opportunity for permanent and loving homes.
I want to congratulate First Lady Trump for her efforts in this area and in her recently holding a hearing in the House of Representatives on this issue.
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