Bipartisan Foster Youth Agenda
A series of bipartisan bills have been introduced in Congress to strengthen educational success, workforce readiness, job opportunities, and housing stability for young people who have experienced foster care.
Journey to Success enthusiastically supports this bipartisan action and continues to build momentum for reform.
Below are House and Senate bill summaries, media materials, advocacy tools and recent updates to help advocates stay informed and build support.
UPDATES:
4/29/26: Today the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee held a legislative mark-up and unanimously passed six bipartisan bills to modernize the Chafee and ETV (Education and Training Voucher) programs. These six bills now await consideration by the full House of Representatives. For more details on this week’s legislative action see the committee’s legislative summary which includes bill summaries, vote counts, highlights of the support in the field, and more. Also see: Chairman Smith’s opening statement here and Ranking Member Neal’s opening statement here.
4/15/26: Ways & Means Committee hosts a round table featuring bipartisan efforts to improve outcomes for youth in foster care. The First Lady attends and shares remark. Two young leaders also attend and share remarks. Committee press statement. White House press statement. Event video clip.
3/25/26: Sign-on forms are now available for local, state and federal organization that want to show their support for the bipartisan bills pending in Congress.
3/20/26: Recent press statement by the Ways and Means Committee: Ways & Means Members Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Modernize the Chafee Foster Care Program to Improve Outcomes for Vulnerable Youth
2/24/26: Former foster youth Sierra Burns, participant in the Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence Initiative, attends State of the Union as guest of the First Lady: White House press statement / Imprint News
2/4/26: Congress enacts $25 million in FY 2026 appropriations for the Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence Initiative in support of housing vouchers for former foster youth
Active Bipartisan Legislation
House of Representatives
H.R. 7432
4/29/26 UPDATE: Approved by House Ways & Means Committee (see “Updates” column for more info)
Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act
Sponsored by Rep. Darin LaHood (IL-16) and Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04)
This bill strengthens housing pathways and stability for older youth and young adults transitioning from foster care.
H.R. 7343
4/29/26 UPDATE: Approved by House Ways & Means Committee (see “Updates” column for more info)
Foster Youth Workforce Opportunity Act
Sponsored by Rep. Max Miller (OH-07) and Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03)
This legislation expands access to workforce development opportunities for foster youth and improves coordination across federal programs.
H.R. 7463
4/29/26 UPDATE: Approved by House Ways & Means Committee (see “Updates” column for more info)
Foster Youth Postsecondary Education Access and Success Act
Sponsored by Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Rep. Nathaniel Moran (TX-01)
This legislation modernizes and strengthens the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program. Key provisions improve access, increase flexibility, and better align supports with the real costs of postsecondary education.
H.R. 7529
4/29/26 UPDATE: Approved by House Ways & Means Committee (see “Updates” column for more info)
Fresh Starts for Foster Youth Act
Sponsored by Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare Ranking Member Rep. Danny Davis (IL-07) and Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare Chairman Rep. Darin LaHood (IL-16)
This legislation improves access to legal services for youth in foster care by requiring states to certify they have processes to take into consideration legal issues impacting foster youth as a part of case planning in their transition to adulthood.
H.R. 7655
4/29/26 UPDATE: Approved by House Ways & Means Committee (see “Updates” column for more info)
Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act
Sponsored by Rep. Rudy Yakym (IN-02) and Rep. Danny Davis (IL-07)
This legislation aims to strengthen coordination between the Chafee program and the MIECHV program (Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting) to better support expectant and parenting foster youth.
H.R. 7995
4/29/26 UPDATE: Approved by House Ways & Means Committee (see “Updates” column for more info)
Chafee Opportunities for New Networks and Existing Connection Trust (CONNECT) Act
Sponsored by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH)
This legislation updates the purposes section of the Chafee program to reflect the importance of establishing meaningful connections with adults and other lifelong support networks, clarifies that Chafee funds may be used to help foster youth engage in their own permanency process and planning for independence, and requires HHS to issue guidance, in consultation with youth with foster care lived experience, to promote quality implementation and best practices in outreach and engagement of youth.
H.R. 8498
Increasing Access to Foster Care Through Age 21 Act
Sponsored by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN)
This bill makes improvements to federal extended foster care policy by removing access barriers, promoting coordination around employment and training opportunities for youth and ensuring that the care for all youth in extended foster care is eligible for federal reimbursement.
H.R. 8566
Protecting Sibling Relationships in Foster Care Act
Sponsored by Rep. Bacon (R-NE), Rep. Nunn (R-IA), and Rep Moore (D-WI)
The bill proposes to:
Create a competitive grant program to develop programs that are (1) designed to identify available placements for larger sibling groups (3 or more siblings) and sibling groups that include children and youth with complex needs and (2) evidence-based and proven to substantially increase joint sibling placements.
Allocate $10 million for 5 grants to be funded over a five year period.
Makes the grant available to state child welfare agencies, a State, tribal, or local agency, a faith- or community-based organization, or a nonprofit organization that has expertise and demonstrated experience, as well as State supervision, in administering a foster care program.
Senate
S. 4314
Foster Youth Education and Workforce Opportunity Act of 2026
Sponsored by Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
This Senate bill is companion legislation to two House bills as it combines the provisions from H.R. 7463 and H.R. 7343. The Senate bill adds a new provision that provides that ETV funds can be used to “assist eligible youth in overcoming transportation barriers that limit access to postsecondary education, workforce training, registered apprenticeships, or employment.”
Journey to Success Policy Leadership
For over four years, Journey to Success has led federal and state policymaker education on the need to modernize the Chafee and ETV programs for youth with foster care experience. Through coordinated outreach, state-based engagement, research synthesis, and lived expertise, we have helped elevate a shared bipartisan foster care reform agenda.
Our Policy Recommendations & Lived Expertise
Recommendations to improve the ETV Program
Recommendations to improve the Chafee Program
Additional policy resources
Advocacy Tools & Resources
Stay engaged and help sustain momentum:
Federal Policy Webinar Series (The Chafee Program, The Education and Training Voucher Program, and Extended Foster Care)
Together, we can ensure these reforms translate into stronger outcomes for young people as they transition to adulthood.
Journey to Success is also grateful to the First Lady for her leadership in creating opportunities for youth in foster care. Click here for more information about the Fostering the Future Executive Order.