Bills · HR 7995
REPORTED· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 7995Adoption and foster careFamily services
CONNECT Act
INTRO MAR 19· LAST ACTION MAY 11
READING
4MIN
COSPONSORS
3BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 3 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenMany young people who leave foster care struggle with loneliness, a lack of consistent adult guidance, and limited support systems, which can make it incredibly difficult to achieve stability in education, employment, and housing. This bill matters because it directly addresses this critical issue by making it a core mission of a major federal foster care program to prioritize and facilitate the building of long-term, supportive relationships.
If this bill becomes law, foster care agencies would be expected to actively fund and implement programs that help youth connect with caring adults, mentors, and peers, potentially leading to significantly improved well-being and life outcomes for these young people as they transition to independence. If it doesn't pass, the program's official focus would remain less explicit about the importance of these relationships, potentially leaving many foster youth without crucial social and emotional support networks.
KEY PROVISIONS
3AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Updates the purposes of the Chafee program to include helping foster youth (age 14+) develop and maintain sustained, supportive relationships with adults (including kin or fictive kin), mentors, and peers.
This fundamentally shifts the program's focus to emphasize relational support, not just independent living skills.
PROVISION 02
Adds a new purpose to support foster youth (age 14+) in exercising their rights regarding permanency plans and facilitating pre- and post-permanency peer support, mentoring, and kin connections.
This empowers youth in their permanency planning and ensures they have relational support during these critical transitions.
PROVISION 03
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to states and tribal child welfare agencies within one year, after consulting with youth, on implementing these new purposes.
This ensures clear instructions and best practices are provided to agencies for effective implementation of the new goals.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 3
D· Wisconsin
YRS IN OFFICE
21
BILLS LED
34
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 66%
DEM 1 REP 2 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
8 EVENTSMAY 11
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-642.
MAY 11
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 559.
APR 29
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
APR 29
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 40 - 0.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 7995
Congress119th
StatusReported
IntroducedMar 19, 2026
Last actionMay 11, 2026
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REPORTED· 119TH CONGRESS · WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAR 19, 2026
House BillHR 7995Adoption and foster careFamily services
CONNECT Act
INTRODUCED MAR 19, 2026· LAST ACTION MAY 11, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
4 min
COSPONSORS
3
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
