Senators to Voice Their Support for Older Americans Act Reauthorization at Capitol Hill Briefing

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Mar 27, 2012, 10:01 ET

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- During a Capitol Hill briefing tomorrow, at least seven top-ranking U.S. Senators are scheduled to voice their support for reauthorizing the Older Americans Act (OAA)—the primary legislative vehicle for helping the nation's seniors stay healthy, find employment, and age in place.

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Senators scheduled to appear include Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chairman, HELP Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, and Sens. Whitehouse (RI), Kohl (WI), Blumenthal (CT), Manchin (WV), Casey (PA), and Franken (MN).

The briefing will take place at 11:45 a.m. on March 28 in room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, and is part of Aging in America Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, sponsored by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the American Society on Aging's Public Policy Committee.

The OAA funds critical services that keep older adults healthy and independent—services like meals, job training, senior centers, caregiver support, transportation, health promotion, benefits enrollment, and more. The OAA is scheduled for reauthorization—a prime opportunity to strengthen the law to meet the needs of today's seniors. For the past year, NCOA has urged Congress to support OAA reauthorization as part of its One Away campaign for elder economic security. More information can be found at www.OneAway.org/SupportOAA.

For those unable to attend Capitol Hill Advocacy Day in person, NCOA is also sponsoring a Virtual Advocacy Day with opportunities to participate from home. Advocates will be able to send a message to their lawmakers about OAA reauthorization and funding, watch video feeds, and share information through social media. For more details and to sign up, please visit www.ncoa.org/VirtualAdvocacyDay.

"We are at a critical moment, when every day, 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 years old," said Sen. Sanders. "The decisions we make now for an aging population will impact future generations; we must give seniors the supports, meals, and jobs they need to stay healthy in their homes and communities."

"NCOA is very pleased that this esteemed Congressional panel will address the need to protect and strengthen programs for America's older adults—especially those who are struggling in this economy," said Jim Firman, president and CEO of NCOA. "With the election season upon us, we urge older adults and their advocates to let their legislators know about the challenges that seniors are facing and the importance of the Older Americans Act to addressing their needs."

Full details on the Aging in America Conference can be found at www.ncoa.org/AginginAmerica2012.

About NCOA
The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. NCOA is a national voice for millions of older adults—especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged—and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit: www.ncoa.org |www.facebook.com/NCOAging | www.twitter.com/NCOAging

SOURCE National Council on Aging