WASHINGTON – As President Biden’s border crisis poses increasing challenges to America’s foster care system, Ways and Means Republicans this week called on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to provide a briefing for members to address their concerns.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• More than 29,000 migrant children crossed the southern border in February and March of this year.
• The U.S. foster care system currently cares for almost 400,000 American children, some of whom are being forced to provide accommodations for unaccompanied migrant children.
• Republican leaders want answers on how the Biden Administration’s border crisis will affect the U.S. foster care system nationwide.

The letter comes after Republican leaders asked the Biden Administration for an investigation into their concerns last week, and was signed by Top Ways and Means Republican Leader Kevin Brady (R-TX), Ways and Means Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Republican Leader Jackie Walorski (R-IN), and Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Republican Leader Mike Kelly (R-PA).

Read the full letter here. An excerpt is below:

“Because many local communities are already struggling to serve the hundreds of thousands of American children in foster care, it is important that HHS provide timely information on how safe, loving homes are being prioritized for all children, both citizens and non-citizens.”