Today, as part of foster youth shadow day on Capitol Hill, I had the privilege of meeting Aliyana, a recent criminology graduate, passionate advocate, and former foster youth using her lived experience to drive real change.
As a dad to six wonderful kids, including two beautiful girls who we adopted through the foster care process, Aliyana’s story hits home. She reminded me how important it is to support foster youth not only while they are in the system but also as they become young adults and pursue higher education, enter the workforce, or simply begin to navigate life on their own for the first time.
That’s why I introduced bipartisan legislation, the Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Act, to ensure students like Aliyana aren’t left behind when they age out of the system – often a time when they need us the most. The bill will:
🏠 Expand access to stable, affordable housing
🛏️ Allow young adults to use housing vouchers for on-campus dorms
📚 Help them stay focused on their education, not where they’ll sleep at night
Bottom line: We need a system that doesn’t just get kids through, but also helps them thrive after they turn 18. I’ll keep fighting to give every foster youth the stability, opportunity, and support they need to succeed.