House Ways and Means committee advances six bipartisan bills to modernize the Chaffee foster‑youth programs

The House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday favorably reported a package of six bipartisan bills to modernize the federal program that helps foster youth transition to adulthood, approving each measure in a series of roll-call votes.

Chairman Smith opened the markup by saying the committee would consider “six bipartisan bills to modernize the Chaffee program,” and framed the package as the most significant reforms since the program’s creation. The measures seek to reduce fragmentation across federal programs, increase flexibility in how states use funds and expand supports ranging from housing and education to legal services and mentorship.

The most prominent bill in the package, HR 7432, the Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act, would strengthen coordination between the Chaffee program and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Foster Youth to Independence voucher program. Chair of the Work and Welfare subcommittee Mr. Le Hood, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure would carve a new definition of “housing supportive services” out of the statutory 30% room‑and‑board cap and align age eligibility across programs up to age 26. “A staggering 35% of former foster youth experience homelessness by age 21,” Mr. Le Hood said, urging committee support.

Two bills address education: HR 7463, the Foster Youth…