[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 144 (Thursday, October 6, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 6, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    NATIONAL SILVER HAIRED CONGRESS

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Labor 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 66, a concurrent resolution to recognize and encourage the 
convening of a National Silver Haired Congress; that the Senate proceed 
to its immediate consideration; that the resolution and preamble be 
agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; and 
that any statements thereon appear at the appropriate place as if read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 66) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  (The text of the concurrent resolution will be printed in a future 
edition of the Record.)
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to thank you for support for 
Senate Concurrent Resolution 66, a resolution to establish a national 
silver-haired congress. I am grateful to all of the 42 cosponsors of 
this legislation for their support.
  The national silver-haired congress is the vision of a truly 
inspirational group of seniors. Beginning back in 1973, a group of 
Missouri seniors got together and decided to get involved. They formed 
a silver-haired legislature. They modeled their legislature after their 
States legislature and reviewed pieces of legislation that affected 
seniors.
  That was 1973. Today, nearly half the States have a silver-haired 
legislature. Seniors all over the country have set up mock State-
legislatures. Some of the States which have silver-haired legislatures 
are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, 
Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North 
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West 
Virginia, and Wyoming.
  The Silver-haired legislatures have helped in the passage of many 
programs: from consumer protection and crime prevention to health care, 
housing, and long term care.
  Senate Concurrent Resolution 66 will create a national silver-haired 
Congress based on the experience of the silver-haired legislatures in 
the States. A silver-haired congress will provide a national forum for 
aging issues--a forum patterned after the U.S. Congress. It will be 
completely staffed by older Americans, and serve to address a broad 
range of seniors issues. Like us, a silver-haired congress would be 
comprised of 100 Senators and 435 Representatives. But unlike us, all 
the members will serve without pay and convene in Washington at their 
own expense.
  Older Americans across the country are anxious to volunteer 
themselves in an effort to provide nationwide visibility of aging 
issues and to promote intergenerational issues. A national silver-
haired congress provides this wonderful opportunity. Many of you have 
probably met with silver-haired congress representatives from your 
State. They have been walking the Halls of Congress to ensure the 
passage of this legislation. I applaud their hard work and 
perseverance. We would not have 42 cosponsors in the Senate and it 
would not have already passed the House without them. I would also like 
to thank Wilhelmina Waldman, of my staff, for all of her work on this 
bill.
  With no cost whatsoever to the American public, a national silver-
haired congress will provide a national forum for issues of concern to 
Older Americans. I think that this will be invaluable to us all.

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