TheProgressivePatriot
Platinum Member
Yes, another important measure introduced in the Democratic controlled House of Representatives, and most likely-after passage by the house-will go to die in Mitch McConnell 's graveyard known as the Senet . This one is of vital importance to children who do not have a permanent home. I know how important this is because I worked in a CPS, Foster Care and Adoption agency for many years . Yes there must be high standards for those willing and able to provide foster care or to adopt children, but there are not nearly enough such people and we cant afford to arbitrarily eliminate people based on irrational fear, prejudices, or religious beliefs.
Every Child Deserves a Family Act Introduced in Congress
In related news:
Same-Sex Couple Blocked from Serving as Foster Parents to Get Their Day in Court
Every Child Deserves a Family Act Introduced in Congress
Eliminating discrimination against relatives and those seeking to foster and adopt will allow more children to have loving homes while in foster care.
Today, the Every Child Deserves a Family (ECDF) Act of 2019 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Lewis (D-GA). The companion Senate bill, led by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) will follow soon. The ECDF Act promotes the best interests of children by prohibiting discrimination by federally-funded child welfare agencies against children, families, and individuals on the basis of religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and marital status. Eliminating discrimination against relatives and those seeking to foster and adopt will allow more children to have loving homes while in foster care.
Our nation is currently experiencing a shortage of homes available for young people who need them. There are more than 440,000 children in foster care across the country, and each year 20,000 children age out of the system without a permanent family. This crisis is exacerbated by laws or policies in eight states which allow taxpayer-funded, state-contracted foster and adoption agencies to turn away qualified families who do not meet the agency’s religious litmus test, denying foster children the loving homes they desperately need.
In related news:
Same-Sex Couple Blocked from Serving as Foster Parents to Get Their Day in Court
Late yesterday, a federal district court denied motions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to dismiss Lambda Legal’s lawsuit challenging discrimination in a federal foster care program. Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit on behalf of a married same-sex Texas couple, Fatma Marouf and Bryn Esplin, who were denied the opportunity even to apply to serve as foster parents for refugee children by a USCCB affiliate because the couple did not “mirror the Holy Family.”