The U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously approved the Fostering the Future Act, a bipartisan package of bills designed to improve support for older foster youth transitioning into adulthood.

Included in the legislation is the Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act, authored in part by Rep. Rudy Yakym.

The measure strengthens coordination between the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program and the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood. Lawmakers say the changes are intended to improve access to parenting support, education, housing assistance, legal services, and job training for foster youth who are expecting or raising children.

“We have a responsibility to support the most vulnerable individuals in our communities, and that starts with children – especially foster youth,” Yakym said in a statement. “The Fostering the Future Act makes meaningful reforms that will better serve foster youth transitioning to adulthood.”

Supporters say the legislation addresses challenges faced by young adults aging out of foster care. According to lawmakers, about 70 percent of females in foster care become pregnant by age 21, compared to 34 percent of their peers who were not in foster care.

The broader Fostering the Future Act combines six bipartisan bills focused on improving outcomes for foster youth and includes priorities outlined in the executive order titled “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.”

The legislation has received support from more than 160 organizations nationwide.

Yakym also noted the legacy of former Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, who supported the home visiting program during her time in Congress. The 2022 reauthorization of the MIECHV program was named in her honor.