[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 8, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4843-S4844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Bennet, 
        and Ms. Mikulski):
  S. 1719. A bill to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a 
National Family Caregiving Strategy, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
with my colleague from Wisconsin, Senator Baldwin, to require the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national strategy 
to recognize and support the more than 40 million family caregivers in 
the United States.
  The U.S. population is aging. According to Census Bureau projections, 
21 percent of our population will be 65 and older by 2040, up from just 
under 14 percent in 2012.
  Every day, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 years old, and as many as 90 
percent of them have one or more chronic health conditions. Americans 
85 and older--our oldest old--are the fastest growing segment of our 
population. This is the population that is most at risk of multiple and 
interacting health problems that can lead to disability and the need 
for round-the-clock care.
  At the very time that our population is aging and the need for care 
and support is increasing, declining birthrates mean that the 
population of professional and informal caregivers is shrinking. Today, 
there are seven potential caregivers for each person over 80 and at the 
highest risk of requiring long-term care. By 2030, there will be four, 
and by 2050, the number drops to fewer than three. As a consequence, in 
the future, more people will have to rely on fewer caregivers.
  Families will likely continue to be the most important source of 
support for people with long-term care needs. We must do more to 
support the 43 million family caregivers in the United States who, in 
2009, provided an estimated $450 billion in uncompensated long-term 
care. This is an increase from $375 billion just 2 years earlier, and 
more than double the value of all paid long-term care.
  Family caregivers provide tremendous value, but they also face many 
challenges. While the typical family caregiver is a 49-year old woman 
who takes care of an older relative, 34 percent of family caregivers 
are aged 65 or older. Nearly one in ten is 75 or older. Many of these 
caregivers are putting their own health at risk, since caregivers 
experience high levels of stress and have a greater incidence of 
chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer and depression.
  Most family caregivers are employed and struggle to balance their 
work and caregiving responsibilities. Nearly seven in ten caregivers 
report making sacrifices in the workplace because of their caregiving 
responsibilities. They face financial hardships if they must reduce 
their hours, change jobs, or leave the workforce entirely because of 
caregiving demands. Family caregivers age 50 and older who leave the 
workforce to care for a parent lose, on average, nearly $304,000 in 
wages and benefits over their lifetime.

  I am therefore introducing legislation with my colleague from 
Wisconsin to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
develop a national strategy to recognize and support family caregivers. 
Titled the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage, or RAISE 
Family Caregivers Act, the legislation is based on a recommendation of 
the bipartisan Commission on Long Term Care. It is modeled after a law 
that I co-authored in 2010 with then-Senator Evan Bayh that created a 
coordinated strategic national plan to combat Alzheimer's disease.
  The RAISE Family Caregivers Act directs the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services to establish a National Family Caregiving Project to 
develop and sustain a national strategy to support family caregivers. 
The bill would create a Family Caregiving Advisory Council composed of 
relevant Federal agencies and non-federal members. It would include 
representatives of family caregivers, older adults with long-term care 
needs, individuals with disabilities, employers, health and social 
service providers, advocates for family caregivers, state and local 
officials, and others with expertise in family caregiving.
  The Advisory Council would be charged with making recommendations to 
the Secretary. The strategy and plan would be updated annually to 
reflect new developments. The plan would include an initial inventory 
and assessment of federally-funded caregiver efforts. It would then 
identify specific actions that government, communities, employers, 
providers, and others can take to support family caregivers.
  The Project would be funded from existing funding appropriated for 
the Department of Health and Human Services. No new funding is 
authorized. Like the National Alzheimer's Project Act, it would sunset 
in fifteen years.
  Family caregivers are an invaluable resource to our aging society. 
Chances are that, sooner or later, we will all either be family 
caregivers or someone who needs one. The RAISE Family Caregivers Act 
will launch a coordinated, national strategic plan that will help us to 
leverage our resources, promote innovation and promising practices, and 
provide our nation's family caregivers with much-needed recognition and 
support. Our bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by AARP. I urge 
all of our colleagues to join us as cosponsors.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                         AARP,

                                     Washington, DC, July 8, 2015.
     Hon. Susan Collins,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Tammy Baldwin,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senators Collins and Baldwin: AARP is very pleased to 
     endorse the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage 
     (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act. Thank you for your efforts to 
     work on a bipartisan basis to support family caregivers. Most 
     of us are, have been, or will be a family caregiver or will 
     need help to live independently. This is an ageless and 
     nonpartisan issue.
       Family caregivers are the backbone of services and supports 
     in this country. They help make it possible for older adults 
     and people with disabilities to live independently in their 
     homes and communities. There are about 40 million family 
     caregivers currently caring for adults. In 2009, family 
     caregivers provided an estimated $450 billion in unpaid care 
     to adults who needed help with daily activities such as 
     bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and transportation, more 
     than total Medicaid spending that year. Our country relies on 
     the contributions family caregivers make and should recognize 
     and support them. Family caregivers take on physical, 
     emotional, and financial challenges in their caregiving 
     roles.
       The RAISE Family Caregivers Act would require the 
     development of a national strategy to support family 
     caregivers. The bill would create an advisory body to bring 
     together relevant federal agencies and others from the 
     private and public sectors to advise and make 
     recommendations. The strategy would identify specific actions 
     that government, communities, providers, employers, and 
     others can take to recognize and support family caregivers 
     and be updated annually.
       By supporting family caregivers, we can help people stay at 
     home where they want to be, helping to delay or prevent more 
     costly nursing home care and unnecessary hospitalizations, 
     and saving taxpayer dollars. We appreciate your bipartisan 
     leadership and are committed to working with you to pass the 
     RAISE Family Caregivers Act this year. If you have any 
     questions, please feel free to contact me, or have your staff 
     contact Rhonda Richards on our Government Affairs staff at 
     (202) 434-3770 or [email protected].
           Sincerely,

                                              Joyce A. Rogers,

                                            Senior Vice President,
                                               Government Affairs.

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