On September 18th, 2014, the U.S. Senate approved bipartisan child welfare legislation aimed at reducing child sex trafficking, increasing adoptions and improving child support collections. The legislation was first approved by the House on July 23, 2014. According to the release issued by The House Ways and Means Committee, the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 4980) would encourage states to combat sex trafficking among youth in foster care; promote normalcy for foster youth; help move more children from foster care into adoptive homes or the homes of relatives; and, increase the amount of child support provided to families in which one parent resides outside of the U.S.