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White House Press Pool Reports @WHPressPool - FLOTUS Pool Report #1 - speech on Capitol Hill
At 2:08pm, the first lady entered the Ways and Means committee hearing room in the Longworth building on Capitol Hill for a roundtable on “supporting America’s foster youth.”
Members of congress from both parties turned up for it. Among them:
Congressman Jason Smith, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (R-MO-08)
Congressman Danny Davis, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare (D-IL-07)
Congressman Darin LaHood, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare (R-IL-16)
The first lady wore a faded powder pink pant suits with a matching blouse. At 2:20, she gave a short speech (lasted 6 minutes; full remarks below).
Two youth with foster care experience named Jaydan Martinez and Joceyln Fetting who were sitting near the first lady spoke next, telling trenchant stories about their time in the foster care system.
Jaydan Martinez said he’s a college freshman; Governor Greg Abbott named him “the son of texas,” he was six years old when he entered foster care. Jocelyn Fetting is from Illinois and spent 8.5 years in the foster care system, aging out at 21. She talked about how tricky it is to get yourself set up for success with the way the system is set up now.
At 2:33pm, press was ushered out.
The first lady’s office passed along her remarks, here:
“Thank you, Chairman Smith, for hosting today’s critical discussion surrounding America’s foster care community. Good afternoon, Chairman LaHood and Ranking Member Davis, your efforts to shape new legislation within your subcommittee are of tremendous value to our nation. And to all the representatives of this prestigious committee who have worked so hard to introduce decisive reform within foster care, Mr. Miller, Ms. Chu, Mr. Moran, Mr. Yakym, Ms. Moore, Mr. Evans, and Mr. Carey- thank you. I would also like to extend my warm welcome to all of the congresspeople in attendance today– your bipartisan support is appreciated. And finally, a special thank you to Jocelyn Roni Fetting and Jaydan Matinez.
We are gathered here today, not because America’s children rely on us, but rather because America’s children are our moral equals.
As parents and leaders, it is our ethical obligation to ensure American children develop emotionally and physically within a safe environment. As a community, we strive to nurture our children’s curiosity, protect their innocence, and guide them with hearts full of care. Through respect, participation, and protection, American parents deliver the essentials to our next generation: housing, nutrition, clothing, and healthcare.
In safeguarding our children’s well-being, we shape the integrity of our nation. But to get there, a strong knowledge base is required. Education is the cornerstone of a child’s future. Clearly, education is the foundation that can remain throughout one’s lifetime. Yes, knowledge is permanent.
In 2021, I launched Fostering the Future- a nationwide initiative to provide individuals from the foster care community with access to education at the university level. My goal is to prepare these individuals to secure entry-level jobs, become financially independent, and eventually, innovate, create new businesses, and generate employment opportunities.