WASHINGTON – On Monday, July 30, 2012, U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means and member of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth will host colleague and co-chair of the Caucus, U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), in Saginaw, Mich., for the third stop on the Listening and Learning Tour. Members of the Caucus will learn directly from local experts, foster youth and parents about best practices and key challenges that plague local foster youth and the child welfare system. The goal of the Listening Tour is to allow Members to gain a better understanding of the current state of foster care throughout the nation, and identify potential federal policy modifications that could improve outcomes for the 420,000 children in our country’s foster care system.

The bipartisan Caucus, co-chaired by U.S. Reps. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Tom Marino (R-Penn.) and Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.), will travel to at least four cities this year for the nationwide tour. Several Republican and Democratic Members will participate in briefings, site visits and open community town halls throughout the 2012 events. Michigan will be the third stop on this year’s tour.

In Saginaw, Members of Congress and other attendees will gather to learn more about Michigan’s efforts to obtain a Title IV-E child welfare funding waiver to improve access to early intervention and prevention services, the unique needs of rural and Indian child welfare, and efforts to improve higher education success in Michigan through an innovative scholarship program.