Cape News

This week, the House of Representatives advanced two pieces of legislation from the Ways and Means Committee aimed at improving state systems for identifying and tracking missing foster youth and ensuring job placement services are accessible to all unemployment insurance claimants.

S. 1146, known as the Find and Protect Foster Youth Act, aims to provide support to states in better identifying and tracking missing foster youth.

Ways and Means Chairman Smith commented:

“Youth in the foster care system often have experienced serious trauma and are at high risk of going missing or running away from their foster care placements, which increases their likelihood of experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, and other exploitation."

“Over the past year, the Ways and Means Committee has been hard at work reforming aspects of our child welfare programs. The Find and Protect Missing Foster Youth Act, introduced by Senator John Cornyn and Representative Tony Gonzales, will bring us one step closer to realizing that goal.”

The legislation requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to evaluate state protocols for locating missing foster youth and report findings to Congress within five years. It also mandates HHS to offer technical assistance related to assessing children's experiences while they are missing from foster care.

In addition to S. 1146, the House passed H.R. 5861, known as the BRIDGE for Workers Act. This bill ensures that job placement services are available to all unemployment insurance (UI) claimants.

Chairman Smith noted:

“Members of Congress have heard over and over again about a labor shortage, and ‘Help Wanted’ signs dot storefronts across the country. This legislation will help address this shortage by helping more unemployed Americans get back into the workforce sooner.”

H.R. 5861 makes a correction to the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments (RESEA) program by clarifying that reemployment services can be provided to all UI claimants rather than just those most likely to exhaust their benefits. This adjustment aims to facilitate quicker reentry into the workforce for more individuals.

RESEAs involve in-person interviews where UI claimants receive various services such as job search assistance, employability assessments, or job matching services. The bill also seeks to strengthen program integrity by ensuring compliance with eligibility rules including being able to work, available for work, and actively seeking employment.