Pete Stark

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today with Representative Xavier Becerra to introduce legislation aimed at ensuring all foster children have a fighting chance to lead healthy and productive lives after they leave care. Each year, hundreds and perhaps thousands of abused and neglected children leave the child welfare system and become illegal immigrants through no fault of their own. Under current law, abused and neglected immigrant children in the child welfare system are eligible to become legal permanent residents under the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) provisions of immigration law. In order to obtain SIJS, a court must find that the child is in long-term foster care with no opportunity for family reunification (either in the U.S. or in their home country). If a child also meets additional immigration criteria, such as not having a criminal record, they can become a Legal Permanent Resident. Once a child leaves the child welfare system, however, they are no longer eligible for SIJS. A series of articles in the Los Angeles Times and other reports have documented how children have aged- out of foster care or been adopted without obtaining SIJS. The result is that these abused and neglected children are forced into the underground economy, are extremely vulnerable to exploitation, and are under the constant threat of deportation back to a country that is unfamiliar to them and may be home to their abuser. The Foster Children Opportunity Act aims to correct this terrible situation by requiring that all children in the foster care system be screened for SIJS eligibility and assisted through the legal process to obtain SIJS and eventually Legal Permanent Resident Status. The bill will provide technical assistance to help child welfare agencies better understand this problem and provide resources to train judges, attorneys, and other legal workers in a complex area of law. This legislation will not change any aspect of current immigration law, nor will it result in any adults who have engaged in illegal behavior from gaining legal status. The bill simply aims to protect abused and neglected children by ensuring they have a fighting chance at leading healthy and productive lives when they exit foster care. The Foster Children Opportunity Act will: Require State plans for foster care and adoption assistance to document procedures to assist immigrant children in obtaining SIJS, Legal Permanent Residency, or other appropriate forms of immigration relief when doing so is in the child's best interest; Require child welfare agencies to assist immigrant children, and document their efforts, in obtaining SIJS, Legal Permanent Residency, or other appropriate forms of relief under immigration law before the child exits foster care; Require juvenile courts and child welfare agencies to determine whether filing petitions or appointing immigration counsel for a potentially SIJS eligible child is in that child's best interest; Permit the Court Improvement Program to use funds to educate and train judges and lawyers to assist SIJS-eligible foster children; Direct the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to provide technical assistance to child welfare agencies in carrying out the provisions of this bill. Members on all sides of the immigration debate should put down our differences when it comes to protecting abused and neglected children. We should not let the poisonous politics of immigration interfere with helping foster children become successful adults. I encourage all of my colleagues to join us me in supporting this simple legislation that will improve the lives of thousands of our most vulnerable children.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of Michelle's Law. This is a small, but important piece of legislation that will give many college students the sense of security that they deserve regarding continuity of their health insurance. One of the most frightening moments in a parent's life is sending his or her child off to college. Yet, as parents, we feel comforted by the unspoken assumption that while at college our children will receive continuous access to health insurance based on their dependent status on our family policies. You can imagine the surprise and distress that AnnMarie Morse felt, then, when she learned that her daughter, Michelle Morse, after falling ill from colon cancer, would only be covered by health insurance if she maintained a full-time class schedule while undergoing exhausting chemotherapy treatment. Michelle shouldn't have been forced to maintain that schedule--and risk her very recovery--because of her need to maintain her health insurance. Michelle's Law provides needed protections and will help students who are enrolled in college and who only qualify as dependents under their parents' health insurance plans because of their student status. If these students get seriously ill and need to take a physician-certified leave of absence from college for up to a year, they will be able to maintain their coverage under their parent's health insurance. If they graduate before that time is up, their coverage will expire when it normally would have anyway. This is common sense--and will ensure that student-based dependent coverage lives up to its stated goal. No student should be forced to stay in college--and risk ruining their academic standing--because of inability to simultaneously battle their serious illness or injury and maintain their grades. Although this bill is too late to help Michelle, we can still help other children who might one day have to make the choice between forcing themselves to go to school while severely ill or leaving school and trying to pay insurmountable fees. I'm advised that even the health insurance industry supports this bill. Let's stop debating and quickly pass this important piece of legislation. We owe it to our children to ensure that their health coverage is there when they need it most.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, tobacco use is the Nation's leading cause of preventable death, and, without aggressive help from Congress, will continue to be in the foreseeable future. That is why I rise today in strong support of the family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, a bill that will give the FDA extensive new authority to regulate tobacco products. I am alarmed by CDC reports that state that 8.6 million Americans have a serious illness caused by smoking, and that close to 440,000 people in the United States die prematurely from either smoking or contact with secondhand smoke. However, I am particularly shocked by statistics that demonstrate that smoking rates among high school students stayed the same from 2003-2007. With all the awareness campaigns targeted toward youth, this rate should have dropped. These statistics are unacceptable, and it is clear that Congress needs to step in. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act allows the FDA, among other things, to restrict tobacco advertising and promotions to children, force manufacturers to obtain approval before making reduced- risk product claims, form standards to reduce or eliminate toxic chemicals within tobacco products, and recall unreasonably harmful tobacco products. This piece of legislation is a long sought after bipartisan compromise. I trust that my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill. Tobacco does not just affect individuals who smoke; it affects our children's futures and the economic prospects of our Nation. Each year because of tobacco use we lose more than $96 billion in medical costs and $97 billion as a consequence of lost productivity. It's time for us to stamp out this burning cigarette, and voting for the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act will be the first step. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. I thank my friend from Florida for yielding, and I just wanted to make a point. It's been suggested several times by my friends across the aisle that over 75 years, the unfunded cost of Medicare, as they calculate it, is $36 trillion. You know what? They're right. But what they don't tell you is by the same calculation, the unfunded cost of the McCain-Bush tax cuts is more than $100 trillion. So if you weren't giving away all of this money to the rich people and all of the Republicans who inherited money from their parents and never had a real job in their lives, maybe we could solve it. It would just take a third of the Bush-McCain tax cuts to solve the unfunded liability for the next 75 years for Medicare. So when you talk about these things, folks, let's include all the other goodies that you're giving away. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. STARK. I can only say that I have never heard people who have just won whine so loudly about the fact that they won. They didn't do it when they won the baseball game. I guess if I had a trophy for them, they might be happier. But you are right. My friend, Mr. McCrery, and my friend, Mr. Ryan, are both right. We did solve, in 6331, all of the Rules Committee Democrats, the Republicans voted for it. The majority of the Ways and Means Republicans voted for it. The majority of the Energy and Commerce Republicans voted for it. We solved it. They may be unhappy with the fact that we solved it because most Republicans would like to see Medicare privatized, and this was a plan that did not get enough votes out of the commission to be recommended. A couple of wild hares on the commission suggested it, but they couldn't get enough votes to make it a recommendation. So it has never been. If you wanted to have a trigger for the Defense Department, and you wouldn't, I might support it. But you don't. This is just, the trigger was just a method to try and privatize Medicare and let it wither on the vine. So you won. We have met the requirements in terms of the funds saved in 6331, the Republican speakers have attested to that. So I would say, let's go home. We do have problems in Medicare. We are vastly overpaying Medicare Advantage and getting nothing for it. We are vastly overpaying for the drug benefit because the Republicans wouldn't allow the Secretary to bargain for better prices. The Republicans have frustrated every attempt to save money in Medicare and make it a more efficient system. So I am willing to have that debate any time. And I think we will have to come back and do it. But for now we have satisfied the requirements of the trigger. We were unable to get it done in a timely fashion.

Mr. STARK. I urge the adoption of this rule, which will save us the problem of seeing beneficiaries pay more in taxes, which I don't think the Republicans want to do. And I think that it is time that we recognize that we, by a vast bipartisan majority, solved the issue, temporarily though it may be, and we will have to revisit it next year to make Medicare a more effective system.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Chief Ray Samuels' retirement from the Newark, California Police Department and to honor his thirty-four years of exemplary service in law enforcement. Chief Samuels began his law enforcement career as a community service officer in 1974 with the city of Vallejo, California. He was promoted to police officer the following year. In 1981 he began an eighteen-year career with the Police Department of Concord, California. During his tenure, Chief Samuels held numerous positions within this organization, including Traffic Bureau Commander and Professional Standards Unit Commander. In March 1999, Chief Samuels joined the Newark Police Department as a Lieutenant. He was responsible for the Administrative Division, Personnel and Training and the Investigation Division. He was promoted to the rank of Captain three years later in April 2002 and appointed Chief of Police in 2003. He became the seventh Police Chief since the City's 1955 incorporation. Chief Samuels received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Golden Gate University. He is also a graduate of the California Commission of Peace Officer Standards and Training Command College, Boston's Senior Management Institute for Police, and the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Chief Samuel has been instrumental in the implementation of Community Policing strategies while serving the Newark community. He facilitated the reorganization of the Community Services Division, which was designed to improve coordination and enhance the efforts of the code enforcement unit and the patrol division. Chief Samuels was also actively involved in facilitating a unique partnership between the Newark Police Department and the Newark Unified School District. Under his leadership, a three-officer Community Safety Team was developed and began its focus on gang education, intervention, and enforcement in July 2006. I join the City of Newark in applauding Chief Samuels' leadership within the Newark Police Department and expressing appreciation for his commitment to community service. He has not only guided the Newark Police Department to excellence but has been active in civic and non- profit organizations to make a difference in the lives of others.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reluctantly support this broad housing legislation (H.R. 3221). This bill provides real help to hundreds of thousands of struggling families and institute long overdue regulatory reforms for the Government Sponsored Entities (GSE). My support, however, for the many important provisions in this legislation is tempered by the fact that taxpayers are potentially on the hook for a bailout of wealthy GSE investors. In the first 6 months of 2008, over 230,000 default notices have gone out to homeowners in California. It is imperative that Congress act to assist these families and help keep as many of them in their homes as possible. By authorizing the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to provide refinancing opportunities for at-risk borrowers, this bill will help an estimated 400,000 families keep their homes. This legislation also helps to ensure that future borrowers are not steered into risky sub-prime loans by increasing the conforming loan limit for FHA backed loans. In addition, the bill helps to stabilize neighborhoods devastated by foreclosures by providing $4 billion in grants for local communities to purchase foreclosed homes and convert them into affordable housing. Finally, the bill begins to answer the long-term shortage of affordable housing by creating a robust trust fund that will be used to create and maintain housing for low-income families. After years of lax regulatory oversight driven by the discredited free market dogma of the Bush administration, today we are reversing the tide by creating a new, independent regulator for the GSEs. This regulator will have the power to rein in the worst excesses of the GSEs, including egregious executive compensation. If such a regulator had been in place during the housing boom, perhaps we would not be in the perilous position we find ourselves in today. Despite the many positive and necessary aspects of this bill I am deeply troubled that we are potentially bailing out the very investors whose greed drove the housing bubble and mortgaged the future of countless families. In effect, by providing an uncapped line of credit to the GSEs we are saying that we will socialize their risks, but for individuals struggling to pay their bills we leave them to the private market. We should be doing just the opposite. Despite my misgivings, Congress needs to act and the perfect should not be the enemy of the good. The positive aspects of this bill that will provide relief to communities afflicted by the recession outweigh the negatives. For that reason, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. I would like to concur and respond to my friend from Louisiana, we are just kicking the can down the road, but we have been doing that under his party's leadership for the past 8 years or so. And the truth is that none of us, the distinguished ranking member, the distinguished ranking member of the Health Subcommittee, the distinguished Chair of the Health Subcommittee, have any idea how we're going to solve this physician reimbursement for the long run, and we don't have time. But I think we have all agreed on a bipartisan basis that it is an issue that we have to address as quickly as possible. So we do recognize that this is a temporary fix, and we do recognize the serious problem of reimbursing physicians, but I don't think there's any chance that we could get that done in the time left to us in this session. And some of the things that we have added, not all of the things we have passed in the CHAMP Act, but there is mental health parity for seniors, which means that they no longer have to pay a 50 percent co- pay for mental health but a 20 percent co-pay, as they would for other services. There are preventative care opportunities for Medicare beneficiaries. There is support for low-income beneficiaries. There is work toward resolving medical disparities, an issue which is of concern to many people in this country. There is electronic prescribing, e- prescribing, as it's called, which we think will be safer and more cost effective in the distribution for pharmaceuticals. As to the durable medical equipment bidding, I want to correct a statement made earlier. It isn't going to cost the taxpayers anything. The CBO has told us that the way this bill is designed, the durable medical equipment providers will pay for this at their option to take an across-the-board cut in their reimbursement rather than have a bidding system which they felt was unworkable and not realistic.

Mr. STARK. I yield myself an additional 30 seconds, Madam Speaker. So while I think that it's not everything that we wanted and that we voted for in this House on a somewhat less strong bipartisan basis a year ago, we have made some bipartisan steps down the road. We got bipartisan support in the Senate. And what I hope, recognizing that many of us would do each of these things somewhat differently, a vast majority of us here and in the other body have come together as I have not seen in the past 10 or 12 years to work out a bipartisan agreement to proceed, and I hope that is a harbinger of the future. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra).

Mr. STARK. May I inquire, Madam Speaker, are we prepared to close?

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kagen) for 1 minute.

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time and urge a vote to override the veto. It isn't everything that everybody wants, but it protects 40 million seniors from losing their access to primary care physicians, and it gives us time to deal with the reforms that are necessary in an orderly way. We should put an end to the overpayment to Medicare Advantage, to stop giving them a blank check to provide services, which, in many cases, are second rate. Good managed care plans that are not for profit and come under the Medicare Advantage plan can exist at 98 percent of payment. There is no reason to overpay the charlatans who provide second-rate service and overbill the taxpayers by anywhere from 13 to 40 percent. We have made some advantages and some benefits come together on a bipartisan basis to give us time to do the work that we should to make our Medicare system sustainable, expand its benefits, save money for the taxpayers and provide the kind of quality medical care to which our seniors are entitled. I urge a ``yes'' vote to override the veto. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to recognize the gentlelady from Ohio (Mrs. Jones) for 1 minute.

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel).

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy).

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lieutenant Robert Lyness, a Police Officer of Pleasanton, California, who is retiring on August 8th, after thirty years of exemplary and dedicated public service in law enforcement. Lt. Lyness began his career in 1977 as a Police Reserve and Cadet with the Fortuna, California, Police Department where he worked as a full time officer until 1980. He was hired by the City of Pleasanton in November 1980. In August 1995, Lt. Lyness was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and then achieved the rank of Lieutenant in January of 2003. His assignments included Detective, Field Training Officer, Investigations Division Supervisor, Arson Response Team Member, Range Master and Canine Manager. During the span of his career with the Pleasanton Police Department, Lt. Lyness always led by example. He exemplified superior ethical standards, professionalism, and an outstanding work ethic. His organizational skills contributed to the growth of the agency, which expanded from a few dozen employees to over 150. He cared about the well-being of his co-workers and the image of the Pleasanton Police Department. Lt. Lyness was tenacious in his work: he solved many crimes after other investigators would have closed the investigation. He would not give up until he was sure that he had exhausted every possible informational source and hunch. He passed these traits to younger generations of investigators and set the standard of excellence in service for which the Pleasanton Police Department is known. Lt. Robert Lyness has left an indelible mark on the City of Pleasanton and beyond. He is leaving a legacy of community service, leadership, care and dedication. Those who follow in Lt. Lyness' footsteps will always have him to thank for his daily example of what defines a professional police officer. On August 9th there will be a farewell celebration to thank Lt. Lyness for his dedication to public service. I join in applauding him for a job well done.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Leon ``Woodie'' Spears, a Tuskegee Airman whose death on May 12, 2008 saddened an entire community. Mr. Spears, a resident of Hayward, California, was a member of the legendary African American fighter group known as the Tuskegee Airmen, who flew for the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. Later in life, he traveled all over the country to speak about his life and inspire people with his ``Dare to Dream'' theme. Mr. Spears, affectionately known as ``Woodie,'' was born in Colorado in January of 1924. He grew up near the Pueblo Municipal Airport, where he first heard the drone of a plane as a six-year-old and discovered his desire to fly. Overcoming great racial barriers, he gained entry to the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and became a member of the first African American group of pilots in U.S. military history. In 1943, he succeeded as a student at Tuskegee and received his flight wings. Mr. Spears flew 51 combat missions in World War II and 17 in the Korean War. He retired as an Army captain. During his career he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Purple Heart, several Air Medals and was among the Tuskegee Airmen who received the Congressional Gold Medal from President Bush in 2007. He later served as an ambassador for the Tuskegee Airmen, where he made the elite unit come alive again, even for those who knew nothing of its history. After retirement from the Air Force, Mr. Spears worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 35 years, and later traveled throughout the country talking about his life and experiences. Last year alone he made 44 appearances. Leon ``Woodie'' Spears will be long remembered for his patriotism, his enormous courage, his commitment to excellence and his dedicated tours of duty. We owe him a debt of gratitude for being a Tuskegee Airman and for leaving us with a rich history that we shall never forget. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to Mr. Spears' family. He touched many individuals throughout the country who were fortunate to know him and to learn a vital part of history from his ``Dare to Dream'' lectures. Countless admirers were inspired by his courage and unwavering commitment to service. He will be missed.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I along with Ms. Lee rise today to pay tribute to Don and Lorraine Provost, stalwarts of the Oakland community. On August 2, 2008, the 24 Hour Children Center's Annual Scholarship Luncheon will recognize Don and Lorraine's exemplary and legendary contributions and commitment to their community. This husband and wife team has worked tirelessly to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Don and Lorraine are co-founders and actively involved as President/CEO and Vice President, respectively, of the College Awareness Program (CAP), a community based organization that encourages, recruits and places high school students in historically Black colleges and Universities and other colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. CAP has been in existence since 1993. CAP's activities include College Awareness Night, where students meet with college representatives; Financial Aid Seminars; exposure for high school students to travel to the college and universities to experience the life of a college freshman; and continued support services, which provide an extended support system to students in need. The Don and Lorraine Kennix Provost Scholarship, administered by Stillman College, is an example of the Provost's commitment to insure deserving students are provided an opportunity to attend college. Don is retired as a Transportation Planner for the State of California. Lorraine is currently the Executive Director of the Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women, which focuses on issues of equity for women and girls. She was instrumental in launching the Junior Commission to allow young girls to fully participate in policy and activities of specific interest to their age group. Lorraine's contributions include the Commission's Women's Hall of Fame and the Day of Remembrance which focuses on domestic violence, gender and racial equality. She is currently acting moderator of Black Presbyterian Women of Northern California. Don and Lorraine are longtime political activists and come from a family tradition of activism and social responsibility. They have a myriad of accomplishments to which they can point related to their community advocacy in local, state and national organizations. We are the beneficiaries of Don and Lorraine's activism and are proud to recognize each of them as our longtime mentor and friend. Their children, Chad and Shani, are following the tradition of their parents who have lead by example. We are proud to join the family, friends and admirers who will pay tribute to Don and Lorraine Provost and recognize and appreciate how much they have given of themselves to help others reach their goals.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues George Miller (CA-7) and Sam Farr (CA-17) to introduce the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex Establishment Act. As its title indicates, this bill would unite the Bay Area's seven separate national wildlife refuges into a single wildlife complex in order to leverage greater federal funding for these unique habitats. The Antioch Dunes, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay, Ellicott Slough, Farallon, Marin Islands, Salinas River, and San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuges together constitute our nation's largest collection of urban wildlife refuges, totaling more than 46,000 acres. Together, they are home to hundreds of wildlife species--including over 128 threatened or endangered animals and marine mammals that depend on these refuges to survive. Because they support endangered wildlife in close proximity to millions of people, these refuges face unique and growing challenges. Unfortunately, federal resources have not kept pace with the massive increase in refuge size and management demands. That shortfall puts the refuges at risk. For example, the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge was identified by Defenders of Wildlife as one of the nation's ten most threatened wildlife refuges in 2004. Its wetlands have been drastically altered by urbanization and many areas have been filled to create more land. As a result, the San Francisco Bay is now one-third smaller than its original size. In addition to rare flora and fauna, these refuges offer other benefits. In hosting more than 1.5 million visitors every year, they serve as powerful economic engines for northern California. Their urban setting provides opportunities to educate surrounding communities about the need for environmental preservation. Restored wetlands also provide cost-effective shoreline protection and counter sea-level rise caused by global warming. In fact, the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has determined that restoring wetlands and protecting those that remain represents an immediate opportunity for enhancing carbon absorption--a key to combating global warming. The San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex Establishment Act is very simple. It authorizes such sums as may be necessary for the development, recovery, and acquisition of refuge lands and the restoration of fish and wildlife habitat. This bill is endorsed by Save the Bay, an environmental organization that has been fundamental in protecting and restoring the wildlife oases in the Bay Area's urban environment. I urge Members to join us to protect this crucial part of our environment. By enacting this bill, we are taking an important step toward saving rare California wildlife from extinction, fighting global warming, and preserving a beautiful part of our country that can be enjoyed by future generations.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation aimed at addressing the unique needs of young people with serious mental illness as they transition from adolescence into adulthood. Senator Gordon Smith and Senator Chris Dodd are introducing identical legislation in the Senate. We have an obligation to provide appropriate and effective mental health treatment and supports to young adults so that they can transition to healthy and successful adults. Young adults suffering from mental illness fall through the cracks far too often. Senator Smith and I requested that the Government Accountability Office, GAO, examine this issue. The GAO recently issued their report and the findings should disturb us all. At least 2.4 million young adults age 18-26 suffer from serious mental illness. Another 9.3 million have mild or moderate mental illness. Currently, there is no specific federal program aimed at these youth. Instead, we are left with a fragmented and ad hoc system that does not meet their unique needs. Not surprisingly, many of these youth are adrift without services, support, or guidance. They have lower education and employment rates than their peers and they are more likely to end up in jail or homeless. For youth who are aging out of foster care with no family supports the situation is particularly dire. One recent study found that these youth suffer from post traumatic stress disorder at rates similar to Iraq War veterans. The GAO has clearly laid out the problem. But it is not enough to simply describe the current situation and become angry. Our outrage must lead to action. This legislation aims to change the tragic and unnecessary status quo and bring real support to millions of young people. Some States are making strides to connect young adults with mental illness to systems that can assist them. The GAO documented 4 states-- Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Mississippi--that are doing good work in this area. My home State of California is using dedicated mental health funding to specifically target adolescents and young adults with mental illness. I am pleased that states are undertaking this important work, but the Federal Government should and must play a role. There needs to be improved coordination among the many Federal agencies that provide services to these youth. Most critically, there needs to be Federal support and assistance to states committed to doing the right thing and creating innovative approaches to serve these youth. The Healthy Transition Act will to do just that. This bill builds on the successful Partnership for Youth in Transition Demonstration Program. It will provide grant funding to states to develop statewide coordination plans to assist adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders to acquire the skills and resources they need to make a healthy transition into adulthood. The state must specifically plan for youth who are in the juvenile justice system, the child welfare system, and those who have an education plan under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The bill will also provide grant funding for states to successfully implement their plans and create sustainability and comprehensive systems of care. Finally, the legislation will create a Committee of Federal Partners. The Committee will include representatives from all agencies that serve young adults as well as representatives from consumer and family advocacy organizations. The Federal Partners will evaluate the programs, provide technical assistance, and report to Congress on the progress being made. As a Nation, our children are our greatest and most precious resource. We should measure ourselves by how well we equip them to succeed and lead healthy and fulfilling lives. For young people with mental health disorders, we have an obligation to provide the supports and resources they need to make a healthy transition. This bill is a crucial step toward fulfilling that obligation.

Mr. STARK

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support important progress toward reforming our troubled child welfare system. Today, we can come one step closer to fulfilling our promise to abused and neglected children that we will protect them, heal their wounds, and provide them with stable and loving homes. Anyone who has paid attention to the plight of our half a million foster children and the millions of former foster children should be angry at how miserably we have failed them. Once a child enters the system, we, the government, become their parents. Just like parents, we have a moral obligation to act in their best interests. Unfortunately, many foster children are cycled from placement to placement and school to school, over-medicated with psychotropic drugs, and kept apart from their siblings and other relatives who could provide them with support. Not surprisingly, former foster youth are not doing well. They are more likely to become homeless, incarcerated, disconnected from education and the workforce, or using drugs than nearly any other group of individuals. Perhaps most shockingly, these youth suffer from post traumatic stress disorder at rates comparable to Iraq war veterans. The ``Fostering Connections to Success Act'' allows us to turn our anger into action. This legislation will create permanency for thousands of children by providing Federal assistance to grandparents and relatives who care for a foster child. In my home State of California, a State-funded Program exists to help ease the financial burden for relative caregivers. Much needed Federal support will ensure that this program will not be zeroed out during the current fiscal crisis and will be able to expand to help additional children. This bill also recognizes a truth that is obvious to any parent: turning 18 does not mean that a young person is ready to live on their own. I have heard from too many former foster youth that when they turned 18 they found their belongings placed in garbage bags with no idea where they would live or how they would support themselves. By extending assistance to foster youth until age 21, we an help ease their transition into adulthood. Finally, this legislation takes important steps to promote educational stability for foster children and better oversee their medical care. During committee hearings we heard accounts from advocates and former foster youth about children on multiple psychotropic drugs prescribed by different doctors that never spoke to each other. Many foster children have serious and complex physical and mental illnesses. Their care must be coordinated and appropriate. This bill requires oversight and accountability to ensure that foster children are not overly medicated, but receiving effective, high- quality health care. I am heartened that this legislation has strong support from both sides of the aisle. It should. These are our children and we should provide them with the same level of support we provide for children living under our own roofs.