"This bipartisan legislation ensures that federal resources make it to those that need them most, and expands access to education, housing, and workforce training for foster youth to assist in their transition to adulthood."
Darin LaHood will continue working to expand access to education, housing, and workforce training for foster youth transitioning to adulthood.
Occurrences
"Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fostering the Future Act; a bipartisan piece of legislation focused on strengthening and modernizing the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee) to improve outcomes for foster youth across America."
I look forward to continuing to partner with the First Lady, and my colleagues in a bipartisan manner, to ensure that our foster youth have the tools they need to achieve greater opportunity and long-term success.
Fresh Starts for Foster Youth Act
Congressman LaHood ... introduced the Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act ... to better help youth transitioning out of foster care find stable housing.
H.R. 7432 (IH) - Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act
legislation introduced by Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood (IL-16) and Representative Gwen Moore (WI-04)... Included in the legislation are six initiatives... [to] strengthen coordination between child welfare agencies and federal housing programs, expand access to educational support and workforce training opportunities, enhance supports for foster youth who are parents or soon-to-be parents, expand access to legal services, and prioritize supportive networks and permanency for foster youth.
Sponsor: Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16] (Introduced 02/09/2026).
Evidence
Sponsor: Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16] (Introduced 02/09/2026). Latest Action: House - 02/09/2026 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services... This bill has the status Introduced.
The bipartisan policies will help foster youth lead independent lives by expanding access to stable housing, increasing financial support for postsecondary education, increasing access to workforce training programs that lead to in-demand jobs... The Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act (H.R. 7432) improves access to housing for youth aging out of foster care... The bill passed the Committee 40-0.
With unanimous support, the House passed H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act... Included in the legislation are six initiatives... strengthen coordination between child welfare agencies and federal housing programs, expand access to educational support and workforce training opportunities... Makes the first comprehensive reforms to Chafee since its creation in 1999 to improve outcomes for youth aging out of foster care by creating stronger connections to housing, education and workforce programs.
Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) introduced the Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act. This legislation aims to help youth transitioning out of foster care obtain housing by partnering with states and local services to better coordinate housing vouchers and opportunities.
The Chafee reforms included in the Fostering the Future Act (H.R. 7342) will: Strengthen educational support and workforce training opportunities... young people transitioning from foster care continue to face significant barriers to housing stability, education and workforce opportunities... these six bills... increasing access to housing, education, legal aid, job preparation, and overall life skills services.
Assessments
The promise was framed as continuing to work to expand access for foster youth transitioning to adulthood, not as guaranteeing final enactment of a new federal law. In the same federal term, LaHood introduced and materially advanced foster-youth legislation addressing housing, education, and workforce training, and the House passed the broader reform package unanimously on May 19, 2026. Because the action directly matches all named policy areas and reflects candidate-led legislative progress within his office's federal role, this counts as delivered in the same term, even if further Senate/enactment steps may remain.
The promise was to continue working to expand access to education, housing, and workforce training for foster youth transitioning to adulthood. Evidence shows LaHood materially advanced that goal in the 119th Congress by introducing foster-youth housing legislation and helping move a broader bipartisan reform package through committee and to House passage in May 2026. The House-passed package directly addressed housing, education, and workforce training for transition-age foster youth. However, the evidence does not show the reforms became law yet, and one official Congress.gov entry reflects only introduced status for the standalone housing bill. Because LaHood clearly worked on and advanced the promise areas but final enactment is not established, this is best scored as partial rather than fully delivered.