H.R. 579 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Mar 4, 2025. Received Mar 5, 2025; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryStrengthens plans to recruit foster and adoptive families
This bill asks states to create a plan for matching children in foster care with families who want to adopt or foster them. The goal is to help more kids stay with relatives when possible, improve how long children stay in stable homes, and make sure there are enough families ready to care for children who need them. The federal Children's Bureau would also start collecting information from states about who these foster and adoptive families are, so leaders can understand what's making it hard to find families willing to help.
How it affects you
If you're thinking about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, this could eventually help connect you with support and clearer pathways in your state. Children in foster care and their relatives would benefit most directly—the bill aims to get more kids placed with family members and to keep them in stable homes longer. State child welfare agencies will need to put new recruitment and matching systems in place to meet these requirements.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jan 21, 2025)
Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025
This bill requires state plans for child welfare services to provide for the development and implementation of a family partnership plan to improve foster care placement stability, increase rates of kinship placements, and align the composition of foster and adoptive families with the needs of children in or entering foster care.
The Children's Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families also must include in its annual report information from states about the number, demographics, and characteristics of foster and adoptive families as well as a summary of the challenges related to recruiting and being foster or adoptive parents.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 579
AN ACT
Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA-4) · Introduced Jan 21, 2025 · Families · 3 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 5, 2025: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.”
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 3 official versions.