Grassley Marks Foster Care Month, Releases Discussion Draft of Legislation to Support Older Foster Youth

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, delivered remarks on the Senate floor marking National Foster Care Month and highlighting his efforts to support youth in foster care, including his Recruiting Families Using Data Act . During his remarks, Grassley unveiled a discussion draft of legislation designed to support older youth in foster care, titled the Fostering the Future for American Teens and Young Adults in Foster Care Act . The legislative initiative would strengthen the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, require a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on the impact of formula changes to the Chafee program and establish a new grant program to improve outcomes for foster youth. Text of the draft legislation can be found HERE . Video and transcribed remarks follow. Floor Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Senate President Pro Tempore “ Foster Care Month” Tuesday, May 19, 2026 VIDEO You might wonder how this senator from Iowa gets involved in issues of foster youth. Thirty years ago, I hired a staffer from Urbandale, Iowa, by the name of Sarah Gesiriech. Sarah 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 one day and said, “I’ve been adopted by my parents, and there’s 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’s the story behind my being involved with foster care issues. You learn to listen to these kids that go from home to home, maybe three times a year, and change schools three times a year. And if you listen to them, they say, “I’d like to have a mom and dad. I’d 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 that 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. Now, 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 introduced, 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. Additionally, today, I’m releasing a 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 (GAO) 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 GAO published a report that studied how states use the Chafee program to support older foster youth transitioning out of foster care —which is natural, when they reach a certain age. Sometimes it’s 18. Sometimes it might be a little bit older. And 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 co-founder and co-chair 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 Luján of New Mexico for his co-chairing this committee with me, so it’s 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 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 a permanent and loving home. And I want to congratulate First Lady Trump for her efforts in this area, recently holding a hearing in the House of Representatives on this issue. -30-