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WASHINGTON –
Today,
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
joined
several
of
his
colleagues
in
introducing
bipartisan
legislation
that
aims
to
help
youth
aging
out
of
foster
care
with
their
housing
needs.
The
Fostering
Stable
Housing
Opportunities
Act
would
grant
priority
preference
for
federal
housing
assistance
to
foster
youth
who
are
aging
out
of
care
and
allow
youth
in
foster
care
to
apply
for
housing
assistance
at
the
age
of
16,
prior
to
aging
out,
which
in
many
states
occurs
the
day
foster
youth
turn
18.
“Every
year,
I
am
given
the
opportunity
to
welcome
young
leaders
from
the
Foster
Youth
Internship
Program
into
my
office.
It
is
amazing
to
see
them
push
forward
towards
their
goals,
in
spite
of
many
challenges,"
Scott
said.
"That
is
why
it
is
important
for
us
to
lift
them
up
when
necessary,
and
this
bipartisan
bill
will
help
our
foster
youth
who
are
aging
out
of
care
prosper
and
continue
working
to
achieve
the
American
Dream.”
“One
of
the
biggest
challenges
facing
older
foster
youth
is
aging
out
of
care
and
being
without
a
place
to
live,”
Grassley
said.
“This
bill
would
make
it
easier
for
such
youth
to
get
federal
housing
assistance
so
they
can
continue
their
education,
get
a
job
and
have
a
good
start
into
adulthood.”
Sen.
Scott
joined
Sen.
Chuck
Grassley
(R-IA)
and
Sen.
Debbie
Stabenow
(D-MI),
co-chairs
of
the
Senate
Caucus
on
Foster
Youth,
and
Senators
Al
Franken
(D-MN),
Tim
Kaine
(D-VA),
and
Angus
King
(I-ME)
to
introduce
this
bipartisan
legislation
designed
to
help
youth
aging
out
of
foster
care
with
their
housing
needs.
Foster
youth
face
an
especially
difficult
transition
period
from
childhood
to
adulthood,
and
as
many
as
37
percent
become
homeless
soon
after
aging
out
of
care.
Even
more
face
housing
instability
such
as
frequent
housing
changes
and
“couch
surfing.”
As
a
result,
they
are
more
susceptible
to
human
trafficking
and
other
dangerous
outcomes. Helping
these
young
people
access
federal
housing
assistance
will
provide
a
safety
net
and
allow
them
the
opportunity
to
get
on
their
feet
and
become
self-sufficient
adults.
The
bill
is
the
Senate
version
of
a
measure
in
the
House
of
Representatives
by
Rep.
Mike
Turner
(R-OH).
Grassley
co-founded
the
Senate
Caucus
on
Foster
with
the
goal
of
hearing
directly
from
foster
youth
about
the
challenges
they
face.
The
text
of
the
Fostering
Stable
Housing
Opportunities
Act
is
available here.
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