Supporting the designation of October as "Foster Youth Voice Month" and encouraging public awareness and participation in events and initiatives organized by youth in foster care.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1556 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1556

 Supporting the designation of October as ``Foster Youth Voice Month'' 
   and encouraging public awareness and participation in events and 
             initiatives organized by youth in foster care.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 29, 2024

Mr. Nunn of Iowa submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
            to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Supporting the designation of October as ``Foster Youth Voice Month'' 
   and encouraging public awareness and participation in events and 
             initiatives organized by youth in foster care.

Whereas the voices of young people who have experienced foster care are crucial 
        in shaping policies and practices that affect their lives and those of 
        their peers;
Whereas, since the Selfless Love Foundation initiated the first ``Foster Youth 
        Voice Month'' in 2019, organizations in more than 35 States have 
        participated to empower young people in foster care to advocate for 
        themselves and drive systemic change;
Whereas Foster Youth Voice Month, celebrated annually in October, promotes 
        awareness and highlights the experiences, needs, and achievements of 
        young people impacted by the foster care system in the United States;
Whereas an estimated 391,000 youth and young adults are impacted by the foster 
        care system annually in the United States, facing unique challenges and 
        barriers to stability and success;
Whereas recognizing Foster Youth Voice Month nationally will encourage dialogue, 
        collaboration, and support for initiatives focused on cocreating 
        solutions that improve outcomes for young people in foster care; and
Whereas the Selfless Love Foundation and other advocates across the United 
        States have achieved significant policy victories and systems changes, 
        demonstrating how lived experience informs and improves laws and 
        policies, thereby reducing unintended harmful consequences: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``Foster Youth Voice 
        Month'' and encourages public awareness and participation in 
        events and initiatives organized by youth in foster care;
            (2) acknowledges the contributions and resilience of youth 
        in foster care and urges Federal recognition of Foster Youth 
        Voice Month as an official awareness month;
            (3) acknowledges and celebrates policy victories and 
        systems changes driven by young people with lived experience in 
        foster care, and urges legislative bodies to recognize the 
        value of lived experience in crafting laws and policies to 
        improve outcomes for youth in foster care; and
            (4) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House of 
        Representatives transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to 
        the Selfless Love Foundation.
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