First lady Melania Trump made a rare appearance on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to promote a legislative package making its way through Congress to reform the foster care system.
Trump huddled with the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday afternoon to discuss modernizing the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, a federal program that allocates money to states to help teenagers in foster care successfully transition to adult life. That money can then be used to go toward education, life skills, housing assistance, health services, and more.
Congressional efforts to modernize the system comes after a report from the Government Accountability Office last year showed states were returning millions of dollars in unused Chafee funds despite still having “unmet needs of foster youth.”
The first lady listed a number of priorities that should be focused on in the efforts to improve the foster care system such as housing, nutrition, clothing and health care — but she particularly emphasized the importance of education. In 2025, roughly 3% of individuals in the foster care community earned a college degree, according to Trump, which she said must be improved.
“Education is the cornerstone of a child’s future,” she said. “Education is the foundation that can remain throughout one’s lifetime. Yes, knowledge is permanent.”
Trump’s remarks come as the Ways and Means Committee works to advance a legislative package with bills that would improve access to housing for youth transitioning out of foster care; expand education and training vouchers; provide access to legal services; improve access to home visiting services for youth in foster care who are pregnant or have children; and more.
Each bill has a Republican and Democratic sponsor as a way to ensure its passage through Congress.
“Congress now has the opportunity to create a lasting positive impact on this community, beginning here in this room,” Trump said. “We can once again change people’s lives. With the new legislation, we can ensure that the opportunity is more than helpful for individuals.”
The legislative package builds on the first lady’s previous efforts to improve the foster care system after organizing an executive order last year titled “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.” That order sought to provide federal resources to expand educational and professional opportunities for children transitioning out of the foster care system.