US Congress House Bill 2036 (Prior Session Legislation)

---

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-0)
Status: Introduced on May 16 2013 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2013-06-03 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Nutrition.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Nutrition Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Foster Children Opportunity Act - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require state plans for foster care and adoption assistance to have procedures to assist alien children in the child welfare system achieve special immigrant juvenile status and lawful permanent resident status before exiting foster care. Requires case plans to include documentation of the steps the state child welfare agency is taking in assisting children obtain lawful immigrant status before exiting foster care. Requires a permanency hearing to determine whether a petition for special immigrant juvenile status or lawful permanent resident status has been filed on behalf of an alien foster child and, if it has not been filed, whether it is in the child's best interest to have such a petition filed or to have immigration counsel appointed. Authorizes the use of court improvement program grant funds to educate and train child welfare and court staff to assist alien children in achieving special immigrant juvenile status, lawful permanent resident status, and other forms of relief under immigration law. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), on the request of a child welfare agency, to provide technical assistance in carrying out this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to and contract with qualified non-profit or other community-based service providers to perform the assistance. Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to make an exception to the five-year limited eligibility of qualified aliens for federal means-tested public benefits for individuals who have obtained special immigrant juvenile status. Makes a similar exception for such individuals with respect to the limited eligibility of qualified aliens for certain Federal programs.

Foster Children Opportunity Act

Rep. Beto O'Rourke [D-TX]	Rep. Karen Bass [D-CA]	Rep. Matthew Cartwright [D-PA]	Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]
Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D-TX]	Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ]	Rep. Janice Hahn [D-CA]	Rep. Steven Horsford [D-NV]
Rep. John Lewis [D-GA]	Rep. Gwen Moore [D-WI]	Rep. Mark Pocan [D-WI]	Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO]
Rep. Charles Rangel [D-NY]	Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D-CA]	Rep. Louise Slaughter [D-NY]	Rep. Frederica Wilson [D-FL]

Date	Chamber	Action
2013-06-03	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Nutrition.
2013-06-03	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
2013-05-16	House	Referred to House Agriculture
2013-05-16	House	Referred to House Ways and Means
2013-05-16	House	Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2013-05-16	House	Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2666)

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/2036/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr2036/BILLS-113hr2036ih.pdf