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***VIDEO FILE INCLUDED*** Rep. Lee’s Bipartisan Dignity in Aging Act Approved Unanimously by Education and Labor Committee

September 18, 2019

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Washington, D.C. – Member of the Committee on Education and Labor U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03) addressed the Education and Labor Committee to urge her colleagues to support her bipartisan reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, the Dignity in Aging Act (H.R. 4334), which Rep. Lee co-led with her colleagues. The Committee unanimously approved the bill.

"As we think of the care of older Americans, many of whom are nearest and dearest to us, we need to work collectively to ensure that individuals can live with dignity and the sufficient resources that they need, and this includes being able to age in place," Rep. Lee told the Committee in her remarks. "I'm proud to be an original cosponsor on this bill. I appreciate having the opportunity to vote and I think it's a practical, bipartisan piece of legislation and I urge all of my colleagues to support it."

BACKGROUND: The Older Americans Act (OAA), originally passed in 1965, is the primary legislation that covers social and nutrition services for older Americans and their caregivers. The Dignity in Aging Act responds to the challenges facing a growing generation of aging Americans by providing a 35 percent total increase in program funding for OAA over five years.

From food assistance to transportation, the Older Americans Act provides funding for a wide range of services that help support 11 million Americans over the age of 60 every year. However, as the population of older Americans has grown, funding for OAA has not kept pace. In 2010, OAA funding was $42.95 per senior. Today it is $27.25 per senior. The Dignity in Aging Act is a bipartisan update to the Older Americans Act that responds to the challenges facing a growing generation of aging Americans. The bill:

  • Authorizes a seven percent funding increase for OAA programs in the first year, then annual six percent increases in the following years.
  • Establishes a National Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Center for the Aging Network in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of HHS;
  • Creates an initiative to coordinate federal resources to promote the independence and safety of adults living at home as they age;
  • Provides more tailored support to family caregivers who play a vital role in helping again Americans maintain their independence;
  • Places a stronger focus on addressing social isolation among seniors by empowering local organizations to test local solutions.

The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.-21), James Comer (Ky.-01), and Dusty Johnson (S.D.-at-Large).

The Dignity in Aging Act fact sheet is available here.

The Dignity in Aging Act section-by-section is available here.

The Dignity in Aging Act bill text is available here.

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