FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2006		 CONTACT: Steve Forde
Telephone: (202) 225-4527

 Education & the Workforce Committee Leaders Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen

Federal Services for Older Americans

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Education & the Workforce Committee leaders, led by Select Education Subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Ranking Democrat Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), today introduced the Senior Independence Act (H.R. 5293), legislation to strengthen the Older Americans Act – the chief federal law governing the organization and delivery of a number of social services for older Americans.

 

“Most seniors may not realize that the programs they use almost every day, like Meals on Wheels and other senior nutrition programs, senior employment services, and independent living assistance are authorized under this law,” noted Tiberi.  “I’m proud to have worked side-by-side with Representative Hinojosa to fashion a bipartisan plan to respond to the needs of this fast-growing segment of our population.”

 

First enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act authorizes the Administration on Aging within the Department of Health and Human Services, which coordinates federal programs and activities to meet the needs of older Americans.  Specifically, it funds transportation, nutrition, and referral to home care, health, and other social services.  

 

Today, the aging network serves as the first line of defense in providing the supportive services that allow older Americans the option to age in home- and community-based settings.  This law has the potential to generate significant savings to taxpayer-funded government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid by helping older Americans avoid expensive institutional care provided by hospitals and nursing homes.

 

“I’m pleased that during this political season, we were able to look beyond partisan interests to craft legislation that will benefit millions of seniors across the nation,” said Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon.  “The Senior Independence Act will provide seniors with access to information on a variety of services that can generate significant Medicare and Medicaid savings for taxpayers.  And I’m especially encouraged that the bill will improve seniors’ access to information about Medicare’s new prescription drug benefit.”

 

The Senior Independence Act promotes the key principles of President Bush's Choices for Independence plan, which emphasizes consumer choice, access to reliable information, and health promotion.  It would support community-based efforts to assist low-income and limited-English speaking populations in enrolling in the Medicare Drug Discount Card and launch Aging and Disabilities Resource Centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico to create a single point of access to the range of services available seniors, including the new Medicare Drug Discount Card.

 

Leading up to today’s introduction of the Senior Independence Act, Tiberi’s Select Education Subcommittee held a series of hearings both inside and outside the Washington Beltway to better understand the impact Older Americans Act programs have on older Americans.  The bill is expected to be voted on by the Subcommittee next week.

 

Specifically, the Senior Independence Act will:

 

PROMOTE HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORTS TO HELP OLDER INDIVIDUALS AVOID INSTITUTIONAL CARE BY:

  • Coordinating Administration on Aging and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to support community-based efforts to assist low-income and limited-English speaking populations enroll in the Medicare Drug Discount Card;

  • Launching Aging and Disabilities Resource Centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico to create a single point of access to the range of services available seniors, including home and community-based long-term care options and the new Medicare Drug Discount Card;

  • Including the principles of President Bush’s Choices for Independence proposal – consumer choice, access to information, and health promotion;

  • Providing home and community-based services that support older individuals at risk for institutional placement with activities of daily living;

  • Encouraging comprehensive, coordinated systems at federal, state, and local levels for streamlining access to program benefits;

  • Increasing the use of technology and web-based decision support tools to assist consumers to learn about and access or enroll in benefits and programs for which they may be eligible;

  • Identifying cost-effective strategies to improve state systems of long-term care; and

  • Promoting the use of programs that can help older people reduce their risk of disease, disability, and injury.

STRENGTHEN HEALTH AND NUTRITION INITIATIVES BY:

  • Promoting evidence-based programs to assist older individuals and their family caregivers in learning about and making behavioral changes to reduce the risk of injury, disease, and disability among older individuals;

  • Ensuring health promotion programs are evidence-based and broadening the definition of disease prevention and health promotion to include diabetes, falls prevention, improved nutrition, and physical activity;

  • Updating nutrition provisions consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid;

  • Recognizing the important role of dietitians and other nutrition professionals in meal planning, nutrition education, and nutrition screening, counseling, and assessment;

  • Emphasizing the critical link between nutrition and the prevention of chronic disease;

  • Supporting efforts to reduce obesity among the elderly; and

  • Allowing local meal programs the option to offer seniors a multivitamin-mineral supplement when accompanied by a meal.

IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL AND VOLUNTEER SERVICES BY:

  • Supporting program access for individuals with limited English proficiency;

  • Promoting financial literacy for older Americans; and

  • Enhancing coordination among senior volunteer programs, including those authorized by the Corporation for National Service.

INCREASE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL COORDINATION BY:

  • Supporting efforts of area agencies on aging to identify how programs, policies, and services can be improved to meet the needs of the changing population of older individuals within a planning and service area;

  • Assisting states and local communities with emergency preparedness; and

  • Encouraging local agencies on aging to work with city and county officials, state agencies, and other community entities to develop plans for housing, transportation, public safety, and recreation.

SAFEGUARD EMPLOYMENT-BASED TRAINING FOR OLDER AMERICANS BY:

  • Maintaining the program’s dual purpose of community service and employment-based job training;

  • Allowing public or private nonprofit agencies and organizations to compete for national grants, which is consistent with current law;

  • Retaining current law age of 55 for program eligibility, but requiring grantees to first serve those with the greatest need, including individuals over the age of 65. 

  • Requiring grantees to report performance on serving those with the greatest need;

  • Clarifying the use of Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) funds;

  • Strengthening opportunities for business sector partnerships;

  • Providing greater flexibility for SCSEP grantees and allow for more funds to be available for other supportive services such as on-the-job training and literacy training;

  • Requiring grantees to have an average time limit for participation not to exceed 2 years and limiting individual participation to not more than 4 years; and

  • Moving from 20 to 30 percent unsubsidized employment by phasing in a 2 percent increase over the next 5 years and requiring the Secretary of Labor to provide technical assistance to meet the new targets.

More information on Education & the Workforce Committee efforts to strengthen the Older Americans Act is available at: http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/education/oa/oa.htm. 

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