S. 3279, the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act, prohibits discrimination based on religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and marital status in federally-funded child welfare services. The bill targets documented disparities affecting LGBTQ youth in foster care, who face overrepresentation, placement instability, and elevated suicide risk, by requiring covered agencies to provide culturally competent services and eliminate policies that restrict who can serve as foster or adoptive parents, particularly same-sex couples and unmarried individuals. States must comply within 6 months of receiving federal guidance or 1 year of enactment, whichever comes first, with possible extensions if state law changes are needed. The federal government can withhold child welfare funding from states that fail to comply, and the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study state progress within 3 years and report findings to Congress.
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