00:07When I first developed fostering the future, one thing became very clear. The foster care
00:14community requires action over awareness. This truth stands today. I'm proud to share that
00:23fostering the future currently maintains a footprint of over 20 universities across the
00:30country from coast to coast. Although reports vary, roughly 3% of individuals in foster care
00:39community earn a college degree in 2025. We can close this gap. But still, foster youth face a
00:50special set of challenges outside the classroom that have a serious impact of their academic
00:56performance. These issues include housing instability, educational advocacy, financial barriers,
01:06transportation, continuity, access to technology, and other related issues. Aging out of foster
01:15care. Each one of those bills responds to challenges. Congress now has the opportunity to create
01:21a lasting positive impact on this community. Beginning here in this room, we can once again
01:29change people's lives. With the new legislation, we can ensure that the opportunity is more than
01:37helpful for individuals in the foster care community. It can be their birthright. Thank you.
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