Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins’ remarks at the hearing
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted 20 to 1 to advance the Older Americans Reauthorization Act (OAA), bipartisan legislation that helps seniors in Maine and around the country access critical services. Senator Susan Collins is an original cosponsor of the bill, and she was a member of the bipartisan working group that authored this legislation.
Since 1965, the OAA has supported and improved the lives of seniors—particularly those who are low-income—through programs that promote nutrition, improve transportation options, support caregivers, offer employment and community service opportunities, and prevent abuse and neglect. This critical law was last reauthorized in 2020.
“Having co-authored the prior reauthorization of the Older Americans Act with Senator Casey, I appreciated being a member of the working group, and I recognize how important it is to update OAA programs and services, which are truly a lifeline for millions of seniors,” said Senator Collins during the hearing. “This bill represents a great bipartisan effort to better serve older Americans.”
Specifically, the Older Americans Reauthorization Act would:
Administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the OAA authorizes an array of services through a network of 56 State Units on Aging and more than 600 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) serving older Americans throughout the nation. In the last year alone, OAA programs served more 12 million caregivers and older adults, including providing over 2.4 million seniors with at-home or congregate meals.
This reauthorization is supported by AARP, USAging, Meals on Wheels America, National Council on Aging (NCOA), and the Alzheimer’s Association and that Alzheimer’s Impact Movement.
In addition to Senator Collins, this bill is cosponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and Edward Markey (D-MA).
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