Subcommittee Approves Bipartisan Measure to Improve Federal Services for Older Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Without opposition, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Select Education today backed a bipartisan bill to renew and strengthen services offered under the Older Americans Act, the chief federal law governing the organization and delivery of a number of social services for older Americans.  Subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Ranking Democrat Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) introduced the Senior Independence Act (H.R. 5293) last week after months of preparation and hearings, both inside and outside the Washington Beltway, aimed at crafting the reauthorization measure in a bipartisan, consensus-building manner.

“As we have heard during our travels and from expert witnesses, the number of older Americans is increasing at unprecedented rates,” noted Tiberi.  “This demographic shift toward an older America presents both challenges and opportunities to our nation.  The legislation we approved today recognizes the changing needs of older Americans and promotes services that are responsive to those needs.  It modernizes the way Americans think about the aging network and recognizes the Older Americans Act’s critical role in keeping older Americans well and living independently.”

“The voices of the aging network have come through loud and clear: reauthorize the Older Americans Act,” said Hinojosa.  “I am pleased that we are working together to do that.  Our seniors deserve no less.”

First enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act authorizes the Administration on Aging within the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the Department of Labor’s Senior Community Service Employment-Based Training program.  The law initially was established to fund transportation, nutrition, and referral to home care, health, and other social services.  Today, however, the aging network increasingly serves as the first line of defense in providing supportive services that allow older Americans the option to age in home- and community-based settings.  This shift has the potential to generate significant savings to taxpayer-funded programs such as Medicare and Medicaid by helping older Americans avoid expensive institutional care provided by hospitals and nursing homes.

“Representatives Tiberi and Hinojosa have shown great leadership in working to improve vital services for older Americans,” said Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA).  “These days, it’s rare to see the kind of bipartisan cooperation that we’ve seen during this reauthorization process, and I commend them for looking beyond party politics and focusing on the millions of seniors who depend on the Older Americans Act.”

Specifically, the Senior Independence Act will:

• Promote home- and community-based supports to help older individuals avoid institutional care;

• Strengthen health and nutrition programs;

• Improve educational and volunteer services;

• Increase federal, state, and local coordination; and

• Safeguard employment-based training for older Americans.

During today’s consideration of H.R. 5293, Committee Republicans offered amendments to further enhance the legislation.  Among the amendments approved were: 

• An amendment offered by Chairman Tiberi to develop a comprehensive plan to promote the civic engagement of older Americans and to enhance services available to those with Alzheimer’s Disease and their families; and

• An amendment offered by subcommittee Member Luis Fortuño (R-PR) to provide family caregiver support to grandparents or other relatives who are caregivers for an individual with a disability.  The amendment also would allow providers to offer a meal to an individual with a disability who resides with a senior who receives home-delivered meals.

The full Education & the Workforce Committee is expected to consider the Senior Independence Act in the coming weeks.  A complete summary of the bill is available at: http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/education/oa/oaabillsummary.htm. 

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