COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 6, 2006

Strengthen Services for Older Americans;

Cosponsor the Senior Independence Act (H.R. 5293)

Dear Colleague:

Today, supporting the needs of older Americans is as important as ever.  More than 49 million people in the United States are over the age of 60, making it the fastest growing age group in the country.  By the year 2050, that number will reach nearly 90 million and comprise almost a quarter of our population.  This trend requires substantial reforms to ensure the quality and effectiveness of federal programs aimed at assisting the elderly. 

Without opposition, the Education & the Workforce Committee recently approved the bipartisan Senior Independence Act (H.R. 5293), legislation to make those additional reforms by reauthorizing and strengthening the Older Americans Act – the chief federal law governing the organization and delivery of a number of social services for our nation’s seniors.  Renewing this law was the top resolution ratified by delegates at the December 2005 White House Conference on Aging.  

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.  Initially established to govern a wide array of social services for aging Americans, the Older Americans Act has transformed into the first stop for older Americans to identify home- and community-based long term care options, as well as other supportive services that can help prevent or delay the need for expensive institutional care and generate significant savings in federal entitlement programs.  And H.R. 5293 builds on that progress.

Specifically, the bipartisan 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.

The changing needs of older Americans require that Congress move forward with a reauthorization of the Older Americans Act this year.  The bipartisan Senior Independence Act will make the necessary reforms to make the most of the federal investment in programs to assist older Americans, while ensuring that the growing senior population is served by the same quality programs established by the 1965 law.

Please join us in supporting H.R. 5293 and the reforms it will make to strengthen federal services for older Americans.  

Sincerely,