On Thursday, May 23, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chairman of the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, introduced legislation to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA), the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2013 (S. 1028). During the OAA Summit held in conjunction with the bill's introduction, Sen. Sanders highlighted the importance of a timely reauthorization, noting that "With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, our country's growing population of seniors includes many who rely on these critical programs to help them stay in their own homes and communities."ADvancing States applauds Sen. Sanders for his leadership in championing OAA reauthorization in the 113th Congress, and we look forward to working with him and his colleagues to advance reauthorization in a bipartisan, bicameral way. As such, we urge the leadership of the Senate HELP and House Education and Workforce Committees to take up this important issue, and to work together and with stakeholders towards a reauthorization that will strengthen and improve the OAA, as well as the health, independence, and dignity of those that it serves.
The measure is currently co-sponsored by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
To read a fact sheet on the bill, click here.
To read the bill, click here.
An archived video stream of the May 23 OAA Summit is available here.
To read ADvancing States' statement on the bill, please click here.