115 SRES 571 IS: Honoring the leadership and celebrating the retirement of Edwin Walker, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging for the Administration for Community Living.
U.S. Senate
2024-03-05
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EN
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Whereas Edwin Walker is a consummate public servant whose steadfast leadership has had an immeasurable impact on the health and well-being of older adults and their family caregivers;Whereas Edwin Walker began his career in aging services with the Missouri Division on Aging and has remained committed to strengthening the aging services network;Whereas Edwin Walker has led the Administration on Aging, which carries out the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) and promotes the well-being of older adults by providing services and programs designed to help them live independently in their homes and communities, since June 1992;Whereas Edwin Walker has ensured the sustainability of the Administration on Aging by remaining focused on the mission of supporting older adults with the greatest economic and social need, and through the cultivation of partnerships across Federal, State, and local governments and with community organizations;Whereas Edwin Walker has provided leadership, stability, and vision during periods of transition, including between 6 different administrations and through the establishment of the Administration for Community Living in 2012, which now houses the Administration on Aging;Whereas Edwin Walker has provided expert guidance during 5 reauthorizations of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) and led the translation and adoption of evidence-based interventions to improve health, reduce hospitalizations and emergency department visits, and reduce overall expenditures related to chronic diseases, diabetes, falls prevention, and behavioral health;Whereas Edwin Walker worked in partnership with the aging services network at the Federal, State, and local levels to meet the critical needs of older adults during the COVID–19 pandemic, including through the timely distribution of pandemic relief funding;Whereas Edwin Walker led the team that—(1)developed the Family Caregiving Advisory Council pursuant to section 4(a) of the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2017 (42 U.S.C. 3030s note; Public Law 115–119);(2)developed the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren established section 3(a) of the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act (Public Law 115–196; 132 Stat. 1511); and(3)informed the creation of the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers;Whereas Edwin Walker built the Federal infrastructure needed to better address elder abuse and neglect in the United States, including through the implementation of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council established by section 2021(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397k(a));Whereas Edwin Walker serves as a trusted and respected partner to many, and the guidance provided by Edwin Walker has advanced the impact of the aging network by fostering a community of mission-driven leaders committed to advancing the health and well-being of older adults with the greatest economic and social need; andWhereas the legacy of Edwin Walker—(1)is one of public service, steadfast commitment to the mission and supporting older adults with the greatest economic and social need, and cultivation of a robust aging network; and(2)will remain long after his retirement from public service and will forever serve as a beacon to those pursuing careers that advance the public good: Now, therefore, be itThat the Senate—(1)honors the leadership of Edwin Walker, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging for the Administration for Community Living;(2)celebrates the retirement of Edwin Walker; and(3)directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy of this resolution to the family of Edwin Walker.