[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 871 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 871

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Congress 
should enact the Older Americans Bill of Rights to establish that older 
     Americans should have the right to live with dignity and with 
                             independence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2020

 Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Lamb, Ms. Roybal-Allard, 
Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Clay, Mr. Danny K. Davis of 
Illinois, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Cooper, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Vela, Mr. 
 Suozzi, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Cisneros, Ms. 
Wild, Ms. Norton, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Grijalva, 
 Ms. Moore, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Stevens, Ms. Fudge, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mr. 
 Rush, Mr. Lipinski, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Mucarsel-
Powell, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. 
 Levin of Michigan, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Jeffries, Ms. Garcia 
 of Texas, Ms. Porter, Mr. Payne, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Kilmer, 
 Mr. Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Engel, Mr. McGovern, 
 Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. 
Brownley of California, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Smith 
of Washington, Ms. Meng, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Ted 
 Lieu of California, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Soto, Ms. Wexton, Mrs. Davis of 
  California, Mr. Courtney, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Trone, Miss 
Rice of New York, Mrs. Luria, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Frankel, Ms. 
Escobar, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Jayapal, 
 Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Ryan, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Welch, Ms. 
 Gabbard, Mr. Butterfield, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Sablan, Ms. Kuster of New 
  Hampshire, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Takano, Mr. Gomez, Mr. 
   Richmond, Mr. Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Langevin, Ms. 
Craig, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, 
 Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Haaland, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Lujan, Mr. 
 Foster, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Mr. 
Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Golden, Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mr. 
Casten of Illinois, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Espaillat, 
Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Morelle, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Kildee, Mr. 
  Evans, Mr. Kim, Mr. Levin of California, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. 
   Crist, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. Finkenauer, Mr. 
  Malinowski, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. 
     Loebsack, Mr. Keating, Ms. Adams, Ms. Slotkin, and Mr. Cox of 
 California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees 
    on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Congress 
should enact the Older Americans Bill of Rights to establish that older 
     Americans should have the right to live with dignity and with 
                             independence.

Whereas the percentage of the United States population that is 65 years of age 
        and older, including the percentage of aging veterans, is rapidly 
        expanding, with 10,000 Americans turning age 65 every day;
Whereas Federal policies are needed that promote economic well-being and quality 
        of life for older Americans across many different communities, 
        recognizing race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, 
        cultural diversity, and the growing inequality between poor and wealthy 
        families;
Whereas Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act of 1965 
        provide critical resources to aging Americans and their families but 
        should be expanded and improved to meet growing needs;
Whereas prescription drug prices in the United States are nearly 4 times higher 
        on average than in other peer nations, a burden that disproportionately 
        falls on older Americans, as almost 90 percent of adults 65 or older 
        take a prescription drug;
Whereas aging Americans deserve a dignified, secure, and independent retirement, 
        but nearly half of all Americans 55 and older have no retirement 
        benefits or savings;
Whereas aging women (the majority of those over 65) live longer on average, are 
        more likely to live in poverty, earn lower Social Security benefits, and 
        are less likely to have pensions because of paycheck disparities, time 
        spent out of the workforce for family caregiving responsibilities, and a 
        greater chance of having worked low-wage jobs;
Whereas older Americans in rural, low-income, minority, Indian country, and 
        other underserved communities may be especially vulnerable because of a 
        lack of access to needed and affordable services that allow them to 
        remain in their communities, including adequate transportation, 
        functioning technology, and protected voting rights;
Whereas 5,140,000 older Americans lived in poverty in 2018; 5,500,000 older 
        Americans were food insecure in 2017; 40,000 older Americans experienced 
        homelessness in 2017 (a number projected to nearly triple to 106,000 by 
        2030), and 1 in 5 Americans age 65 and older are socially isolated;
Whereas many older Americans are living longer, working longer, and enjoying 
        healthier, more active lifestyles than past generations, while others 
        are facing shorter lifespans and increased physical, mental, and 
        psychological challenges;
Whereas age-friendly movements are gaining momentum across the country in 
        communities, health systems, and public health initiatives but are not 
        yet fully aligned and coordinated to ensure maximum results;
Whereas 70 percent of those reaching age 65 will require long-term services and 
        supports and will need to rely on family, friends, or paid caregivers;
Whereas by 2035 it is estimated that 1 in 3 households will be headed by someone 
        aged 65 or older, but many older Americans face challenges in obtaining 
        or keeping affordable, safe, and accessible housing;
Whereas 6,000,000 children are being raised by their grandparents who require 
        the same rights and supports as parents;
Whereas approximately 75 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who need a hearing 
        aid do not have one; 70 percent of beneficiaries who have trouble eating 
        because of their teeth did not go to the dentist in the past year; and 
        43 percent of beneficiaries who have trouble seeing did not have an eye 
        exam in the past year; and
Whereas older Americans are increasingly the victims of fraud, scams, 
        exploitation, identity theft, and even physical and financial abuse, 
        that threaten their dignity, security, and health: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Congress should enact the Older Americans Bill of Rights to 
establish that older Americans should have the right to live with 
dignity and with independence, including the right to--
            (1) high-quality and affordable health care and long-term 
        services and supports, through--
                    (A) guaranteed access to equitable, comprehensive, 
                geographically available, timely, safe and dignified 
                health care;
                    (B) preserved, improved, and expanded Medicare and 
                Medicaid benefits;
                    (C) lower prescription drug prices and increased 
                drug price transparency;
                    (D) mechanisms to allow aging in place, including 
                support for family and nonfamily caregivers, and 
                expansion of the direct care workforce;
                    (E) protection against neglect, abandonment, and 
                domestic abuse;
                    (F) culturally and linguistically competent health 
                care and social services;
                    (G) health-promoting public health policies and 
                programs;
                    (H) higher standards for skilled nursing 
                facilities;
                    (I) increased access to self-directed palliative 
                care; and
                    (J) increased access to nutritional service;
            (2) financial and retirement security for themselves and 
        their families, through--
                    (A) preserved, improved, and expanded Social 
                Security benefits;
                    (B) protection for pensions as earned benefits;
                    (C) assistance in establishing retirement savings;
                    (D) protection against financial exploitation, 
                abuse, scams, and digital identity theft; and
                    (E) job training, volunteer opportunities, and 
                enforcement of age discrimination in employment 
                prohibitions; and
            (3) full participation in and contribution to their 
        communities, through--
                    (A) accessible and affordable housing and 
                transportation;
                    (B) equitable access to technology, including 
                expanded broadband speed, affordability, and 
                accessibility;
                    (C) social networking and other opportunities for 
                digital engagement;
                    (D) the right to vote and improved polling location 
                accessibility; and
                    (E) culturally and linguistically competent and 
                comprehensive home and community-based services.
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