Paris Hilton advocates for foster kids at House hearing

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Paris Hilton is calling on Congress to pass necessary reforms to protect children living in foster care.

At a House hearing Wednesday, Hilton drew upon her traumatizing experience at a youth treatment center. She said she returned to Capitol Hill to, “be a voice to the children who can’t be heard.”

A new study from the Dept of Health a nd Human Services Inspector General shows many states are not properly tracking and reporting incidents of abuse of foster youth living in residential facilities.

According to the findings one in three states could not identify patterns of maltreatment in residential facilities within their state and 13 states did not consistently report abuse.

Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, is pushing sweeping changes to a system he says has not seen significant federal reforms since 2008. He says states that punish families living in poverty fuel the problem.

“Poverty should not be the sole reason a child is removed from the home,” said Smith.

Republicans and Democrats on the committee are pushing 16 bills in total designed to protect foster youth and ensure they land on their feet once they age out of the system.

Ultimately, it will be up to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to decide if the bills will make it to the House floor for a vote.

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