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Senator Collins’ Bipartisan Bill to Support Older Americans and Caregivers Clears Committee

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:

  1. Reauthorize the Older Americans Act for five years with funding levels that better meet the growing needs, with a 4.62 percent increase annually after the first year of the authorization;
  2. Extend the RAISE Family Caregivers Act to align with OAA authorization;
  3. Extend the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Council to align with OAA authorization;
  4. Study the prevalence and needs of older Americans experiencing homelessness;
  5. Ensure that those living with Alzheimer’s disease are included in key OAA services;
  6. Increase the focus on addressing detrimental impacts of social isolation;
  7. Advance support for age-friendly communities;
  8. Improve elder abuse prevention;
  9. Provide greater flexibility and innovation in nutrition programs;
  10. Increase support for those aging in Native American communities.
  11. Expands and updates the National Family Caregiver Support Program
  12. Promote multigenerational programming;

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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