Cape News

Bipartisan legislation aimed at providing essential support to vulnerable children and families has been signed into law. The Supporting America’s Children and Families Act (H.R.9076), introduced by Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood (IL-16) and Ranking Member Danny K. Davis (IL-07), reauthorizes child welfare programs under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act for the first time in over fifteen years. These programs provide federal resources to states, tribes, and territories for family preservation and to promote the safety, permanence, and well-being of children in foster care.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) stated, "The enactment of this law will have a tremendously positive and powerful impact on millions of children and families. It is a bold and compassionate step toward bettering lives and paving the way for a brighter future." He emphasized that these reforms will transform how America protects its youth and vulnerable families.

Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman LaHood expressed his commitment to ensuring a strong safety net for the nearly 370,000 children in foster care who have experienced trauma. He noted that "the signing of the Supporting America’s Children and Families Act marks the first meaningful reform to child welfare since 2008."

Ranking Member Davis highlighted that the bill includes significant investments to improve child safety and well-being. He mentioned that it invests in evidence-based programs that help parents overcome substance use disorders safely care for their children.

The new law reauthorizes Title IV-B for five years, modernizing the program while saving taxpayer dollars through early intervention strategies. It aims to reduce administrative burdens by requiring reduced paperwork from state agencies, improve access for Indian tribes, support expansion of services to prevent child abuse, address caseworker crises, strengthen kinship care support systems, improve outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care, and enhance post-adoption services.

Additionally, reforms related to Child Support Enforcement (CSE) are included in the bipartisan bill H.R. 7906. This program is designed as a federal-state partnership dedicated to obtaining child support on behalf of custodial parents. The bill formally authorizes state use of contractors for child support enforcement purposes.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates this legislation would save $777 million. Twenty-six governors along with various advocates expressed their support for these measures.