Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
H.R. 6181, the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act, prohibits child welfare agencies that receive federal funding from discriminating against foster and adoptive parents or children based on religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or marital status. The bill creates a private right of action allowing individuals to sue for violations and requires the federal government to provide technical assistance, cultural competency training, and guidance to help states comply. It also mandates federal data collection on LGBTQ youth in foster care and establishes a National Resource Center dedicated to improving outcomes for LGBTQ children in the child welfare system. States must comply within six months of receiving federal guidance or one year of the bill's enactment, whichever comes first, with the Secretary of Health and Human Services authorized to withhold federal child welfare funding from non-compliant states. The Government Accountability Office is required to study state compliance within three years, and the bill clarifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used as a defense against its protections.
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