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FederalHB7995indirectIntroduced

CONNECT Act Chafee Opportunities for New Networks and Existing Connection Trust Act

  1. Introduced
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. To President
  5. Became Law

Overview

This bill modifies the federal Chafee Foster Care Program to emphasize long-term relationships as a factor in youth success, potentially affecting how states structure foster care services and supports for youth aging out of the system.

Why it matters: Changes to federal foster care programs can indirectly affect faith-based foster agencies and adoption services that depend on Chafee funding or must comply with its requirements, as well as religious families and organizations involved in supporting foster youth.

Topic: Child welfare / CPS / foster care · classifier confidence 72%

What this changes

Amends existing law

Law today: The John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood currently has defined purposes that guide how states use federal funding to support youth aging out of the foster care system.

If passed: The bill updates the program's stated purposes to emphasize long-term relationships and connections as critical to helping foster youth succeed into adulthood, based on research and input from young people who have experienced the foster care system. This refocuses the program's goals but does not appear to directly alter how Christian families interact with education, healthcare decisions, or parental rights.

AI-generated from the bill text — verify against the official text.

Likely supporters & opponents

Likely support

  • child-welfare advocates and youth-serving organizations — Long-term relationships and stable connections are proven to improve outcomes for vulnerable youth leaving foster care.
  • foster youth advocates — Young people with lived foster-care experience have identified relationships as essential to successful transitions to adulthood.

Likely opposition

No clear opposition identified.

AI-inferred typical positions based on the bill’s substance — general stakeholder categories, not confirmed endorsements.

Should I support this?

Little direct impact

This bill updates the purpose statement of an existing federal foster-care program to align with current research. It does not restrict religious freedom, parental rights, educational choice, or the sanctity of life for Christian families, nor does it expand protections in those areas; it is primarily technical/administrative in nature.

An AI assessment from a Christian-family perspective — religious freedom, parental rights, and freedom in education — not legal or voting advice.

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Official summary

To update the purposes of the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood to reflect research and the input of youth with lived experience about the importance of long-term relationships to future success.

Sponsors

  • Gwen Moore (D)
  • Mike Carey (R)
  • Danny Davis (D)
  • David Schweikert (R)

Status timeline

  1. 2026-05-11Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 559.H
  2. 2026-05-11Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-642.H
  3. 2026-04-29Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 40 - 0.H
  4. 2026-04-29Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldH
  5. 2026-03-19Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.H
  6. 2026-03-19Introduced in HouseH

H = House · S = Senate · A = Assembly