[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 203 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7050-S7057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Reed, Mr.
Sanders, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Heinrich, Ms.
Klobuchar, and Ms. Baldwin):
S. 3056. A bill to designate as wilderness certain Federal portions
of the red rock canyons of the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin
Deserts in the State of Utah for the benefit of present and future
generations of people in the United States; to the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 3056
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``America's
Red Rock Wilderness Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS
Sec. 101. Great Basin Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 102. Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 103. Moab-La Sal Canyons Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 104. Henry Mountains Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 105. Glen Canyon Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 106. San Juan-Anasazi Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 107. Canyonlands Basin Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 108. San Rafael Swell Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 109. Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin Wilderness Areas.
TITLE II--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
Sec. 201. General provisions.
Sec. 202. Administration.
Sec. 203. State school trust land within wilderness areas.
Sec. 204. Water.
Sec. 205. Roads.
Sec. 206. Livestock.
Sec. 207. Fish and wildlife.
Sec. 208. Management of newly acquired land.
Sec. 209. Withdrawal.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land
Management.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Utah.
TITLE I--DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS
SEC. 101. GREAT BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Great Basin region of western Utah is comprised of
starkly beautiful mountain ranges that rise as islands from
the desert floor;
(2) the Wah Wah Mountains in the Great Basin region are
arid and austere, with massive cliff faces and leathery
slopes speckled with pinon and juniper;
(3) the Pilot Range and Stansbury Mountains in the Great
Basin region are high enough to draw moisture from passing
clouds and support ecosystems found nowhere else on earth;
(4) from bristlecone pine, the world's oldest living
organism, to newly flowered mountain meadows, mountains of
the Great Basin region are islands of nature that--
(A) support remarkable biological diversity; and
(B) provide opportunities to experience the colossal
silence of the Great Basin; and
(5) the Great Basin region of western Utah should be
protected and managed to ensure the preservation of the
natural conditions of the region.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Antelope Range (approximately 17,000 acres).
(2) Barn Hills (approximately 21,000 acres).
(3) Black Hills (approximately 8,700 acres).
(4) Bullgrass Knoll (approximately 16,000 acres).
(5) Burbank Hills/Tunnel Spring (approximately 94,000
acres).
(6) Conger Mountain (approximately 31,000 acres).
(7) Crater and Silver Island Mountains (approximately
121,000 acres).
(8) Crater Bench (approximately 35,000 acres).
(9) Cricket Mountains (approximately 56,000 acres).
(10) Deep Creek Mountains (approximately 128,000 acres).
(11) Drum Mountains (approximately 40,500 acres).
(12) Dugway Mountains (approximately 24,500 acres).
(13) Fish Springs Range (approximately 64,500 acres).
(14) Granite Peak (approximately 19,500 acres).
(15) Grassy Mountains (approximately 24,000 acres).
(16) Grouse Creek Mountains (approximately 15,000 acres).
(17) House Range (approximately 202,000 acres).
(18) Keg Mountain (approximately 38,500 acres).
(19) Kern Mountains (approximately 15,000 acres).
(20) King Top (approximately 111,000 acres).
(21) Little Goose Creek (approximately 1,300 acres).
(22) Middle/Granite Mountain (approximately 81,000 acres).
(23) Mount Escalante (approximately 17,500 acres).
(24) Mountain Home Range (approximately 90,000 acres).
(25) Newfoundland Mountains (approximately 23,000 acres).
(26) Ochre Mountain (approximately 13,500 acres).
(27) Oquirrh Mountains (approximately 8,900 acres).
(28) Painted Rock (approximately 26,500 acres).
(29) Paradise/Steamboat Mountains (approximately 136,000
acres).
(30) Pilot Range (approximately 44,000 acres).
(31) Red Tops (approximately 28,000 acres).
(32) Rockwell-Little Sahara (approximately 19,000 acres).
(33) San Francisco Mountains (approximately 40,000 acres).
(34) Sand Ridge (approximately 73,000 acres).
(35) Sevier Plateau (approximately 30,000 acres).
(36) Simpson Mountains (approximately 43,000 acres).
(37) Snake Valley (approximately 103,000 acres).
(38) Spring Creek Canyon (approximately 5,200 acres).
(39) Stansbury Island (approximately 9,900 acres).
(40) Stansbury Mountains (approximately 25,000 acres).
(41) Thomas Range (approximately 41,000 acres).
(42) Tule Valley (approximately 159,000 acres).
(43) Wah Wah Mountains (approximately 177,000 acres).
(44) White Rock Range (approximately 5,500 acres).
SEC. 102. GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Grand Staircase Area.--
(1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(A) the area known as the Grand Staircase rises more than
6,000 feet in a series of great cliffs and plateaus from the
depths of the Grand Canyon to the forested rim of Bryce
Canyon;
(B) the Grand Staircase--
(i) spans 6 major life zones, from the lower Sonoran Desert
to the alpine forest; and
(ii) encompasses geologic formations that display
3,000,000,000 years of Earth's history;
(C) land managed by the Secretary lines the intricate
canyon system of the Paria
[[Page S7051]]
River and forms a vital natural corridor connection to the
deserts and forests of those national parks;
(D) land described in paragraph (2) (other than East of
Bryce, the majority of Upper Kanab Creek, Moquith Mountain,
Bunting Point, Canaan Mountain, Orderville Canyon, Parunuweap
Canyon, and Vermillion Cliffs) is located within the Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monument, as established in
1996; and
(E) the Grand Staircase in Utah should be protected and
managed as a wilderness area.
(2) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(A) Bryce Boot (approximately 2,800 acres).
(B) Bryce View (approximately 850 acres).
(C) Bunting Point (approximately 11,000 acres).
(D) Canaan Mountain (approximately 15,000 acres).
(E) East of Bryce (approximately 850 acres).
(F) Glass Eye Canyon (approximately 25,000 acres).
(G) Ladder Canyon (approximately 14,000 acres).
(H) Moquith Mountain (approximately 15,500 acres).
(I) Nephi Point (approximately 15,000 acres).
(J) Orderville Canyon (approximately 8,100 acres).
(K) Paria-Hackberry (approximately 196,000 acres).
(L) Paria Wilderness Expansion (approximately 4,000 acres).
(M) Parunuweap Canyon (approximately 44,500 acres).
(N) Pine Hollow (approximately 11,000 acres).
(O) Slopes of Bryce (approximately 3,700 acres).
(P) Timber Mountain (approximately 52,500 acres).
(Q) Upper Kanab Creek (approximately 51,000 acres).
(R) Vermillion Cliffs (approximately 26,000 acres).
(S) Willis Creek (approximately 21,000 acres).
(b) Kaiparowits Plateau.--
(1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(A) the Kaiparowits Plateau east of the Paria River is one
of the most rugged and isolated wilderness regions in the
United States;
(B) the Kaiparowits Plateau, a windswept land of harsh
beauty, contains distant vistas and a remarkable variety of
plant and animal species;
(C) ancient forests, an abundance of big game animals, and
22 species of raptors thrive undisturbed on the grassland
mesa tops of the Kaiparowits Plateau;
(D) each of the areas described in paragraph (2) (other
than Heaps Canyon, Little Valley, and Wide Hollow) is located
within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, as
established in 1996; and
(E) the Kaiparowits Plateau should be protected and managed
as a wilderness area.
(2) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(A) Andalex Not (approximately 18,000 acres).
(B) Box Canyon (approximately 3,000 acres).
(C) Burning Hills (approximately 81,000 acres).
(D) Canaan Peak Slopes (approximately 2,500 acres).
(E) Carcass Canyon (approximately 85,000 acres).
(F) Fiftymile Bench (approximately 13,000 acres).
(G) Fiftymile Mountain (approximately 207,000 acres).
(H) Heaps Canyon (approximately 4,000 acres).
(I) Horse Spring Canyon (approximately 32,000 acres).
(J) Kodachrome Headlands (approximately 8,500 acres).
(K) Little Valley Canyon (approximately 4,000 acres).
(L) Mud Spring Canyon (approximately 66,000 acres).
(M) Nipple Bench (approximately 32,000 acres).
(N) Paradise Canyon-Wahweap (approximately 266,000 acres).
(O) Rock Cove (approximately 17,000 acres).
(P) The Blues (approximately 22,000 acres).
(Q) The Cockscomb (approximately 12,000 acres).
(R) Warm Creek (approximately 24,000 acres).
(S) Wide Hollow (approximately 7,700 acres).
(c) Escalante Canyons.--
(1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(A) glens and coves carved in massive sandstone cliffs,
spring-watered hanging gardens, and the silence of ancient
Anasazi ruins are examples of the unique features that entice
hikers, campers, and sightseers from around the world to
Escalante Canyon;
(B) Escalante Canyon links the spruce fir forests of the
11,000-foot Aquarius Plateau with winding slickrock canyons
that flow into Glen Canyon;
(C) Escalante Canyon, one of Utah's most popular natural
areas, contains critical habitat for deer, elk, and wild
bighorn sheep that also enhances the scenic integrity of the
area;
(D) each of the areas described in paragraph (2) is located
within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, as
established in 1996; and
(E) Escalante Canyon should be protected and managed as a
wilderness area.
(2) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(A) Colt Mesa (approximately 28,000 acres).
(B) Death Hollow (approximately 50,000 acres).
(C) Forty Mile Gulch (approximately 7,600 acres).
(D) Lampstand (approximately 11,500 acres).
(E) Muley Twist Flank (approximately 3,700 acres).
(F) North Escalante Canyons (approximately 182,000 acres).
(G) Pioneer Mesa (approximately 11,000 acres).
(H) Scorpion (approximately 61,000 acres).
(I) Sooner Bench (approximately 500 acres).
(J) Steep Creek (approximately 36,000 acres).
(K) Studhorse Peaks (approximately 24,000 acres).
SEC. 103. MOAB-LA SAL CANYONS WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the canyons surrounding the La Sal Mountains and the
town of Moab offer a variety of extraordinary landscapes;
(2) outstanding examples of natural formations and
landscapes in the Moab-La Sal area include the huge sandstone
fins of Behind the Rocks, the mysterious Fisher Towers, and
the whitewater rapids of Westwater Canyon; and
(3) the Moab-La Sal area should be protected and managed as
a wilderness area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Arches Adjacent (approximately 4,100 acres).
(2) Beaver Creek (approximately 45,000 acres).
(3) Behind the Rocks (approximately 19,500 acres).
(4) Big Triangle (approximately 21,500 acres).
(5) Coyote Wash (approximately 27,000 acres).
(6) Dome Plateau (approximately 36,500 acres).
(7) Fisher Towers (approximately 18,000 acres).
(8) Goldbar Canyon (approximately 9,500 acres).
(9) Granite Creek (approximately 5,000 acres).
(10) Hunter Canyon (approximately 5,500 acres).
(11) Mary Jane Canyon (approximately 27,500 acres).
(12) Mill Creek (approximately 17,000 acres).
(13) Morning Glory (approximately 11,000 acres).
(14) Porcupine Rim (approximately 10,000 acres).
(15) Renegade Point (approximately 6,200 acres).
(16) Westwater Canyon (approximately 39,000 acres).
(17) Yellow Bird (approximately 4,600 acres).
SEC. 104. HENRY MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Henry Mountain Range, the last mountain range to be
discovered and named by early explorers in the contiguous
United States, still retains a wild and undiscovered quality;
(2) fluted badlands that surround the flanks of 11,000-foot
Mounts Ellen and Pennell contain areas of critical habitat
for mule deer and for the largest herd of free-roaming
buffalo in the United States;
(3) despite their relative accessibility, the Henry
Mountain Range remains one of the wildest, least-known ranges
in the United States; and
(4) the Henry Mountain range should be protected and
managed to ensure the preservation of the range as a
wilderness area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Bull Mountain (approximately 16,000 acres).
(2) Bullfrog Creek (approximately 42,000 acres).
(3) Dogwater Creek (approximately 3,400 acres).
(4) Fremont Gorge (approximately 22,000 acres).
(5) Long Canyon (approximately 16,500 acres).
(6) Mount Ellen-Blue Hills (approximately 145,000 acres).
(7) Mount Hillers (approximately 20,000 acres).
(8) Mount Pennell (approximately 155,000 acres).
(9) Notom Bench (approximately 7,300 acres).
(10) Oak Creek (approximately 1,500 acres).
(11) Ragged Mountain (approximately 29,000 acres).
[[Page S7052]]
SEC. 105. GLEN CANYON WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the side canyons of Glen Canyon, including the Dirty
Devil River and the Red, White and Blue Canyons, contain some
of the most remote and outstanding landscapes in southern
Utah;
(2) the Dirty Devil River, once the fortress hideout of
outlaw Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch, has sculpted a maze of
slickrock canyons through an imposing landscape of monoliths
and inaccessible mesas;
(3) the Red and Blue Canyons contain colorful Chinle/
Moenkopi badlands found nowhere else in the region; and
(4) the canyons of Glen Canyon in the State should be
protected and managed as wilderness areas.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Cane Spring Desert (approximately 18,000 acres).
(2) Dark Canyon (approximately 138,000 acres).
(3) Dirty Devil (approximately 245,000 acres).
(4) Fiddler Butte (approximately 93,000 acres).
(5) Flat Tops (approximately 30,000 acres).
(6) Little Rockies (approximately 64,000 acres).
(7) Red Rock Plateau (approximately 210,000 acres).
(8) The Needle (approximately 11,000 acres).
(9) White Canyon (approximately 115,500 acres).
SEC. 106. SAN JUAN-ANASAZI WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) more than 1,000 years ago, the Anasazi Indian culture
flourished in the slickrock canyons and on the pinon-covered
mesas of southeastern Utah;
(2) evidence of the ancient presence of the Anasazi
pervades the Cedar Mesa area of the San Juan-Anasazi area
where cliff dwellings, rock art, and ceremonial kivas
embellish sandstone overhangs and isolated benchlands;
(3) the Cedar Mesa area is in need of protection from the
vandalism and theft of its unique cultural resources;
(4) the Cedar Mesa wilderness areas should be created to
protect both the archaeological heritage and the
extraordinary wilderness, scenic, and ecological values of
the United States; and
(5) the San Juan-Anasazi area should be protected and
managed as a wilderness area to ensure the preservation of
the unique and valuable resources of that area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Allen Canyon (approximately 6,400 acres).
(2) Arch Canyon (approximately 30,500 acres).
(3) Comb Ridge (approximately 16,000 acres).
(4) Cross Canyon (approximately 2,400 acres).
(5) East Montezuma (approximately 46,500 acres).
(6) Fish and Owl Creek Canyon (approximately 74,000 acres).
(7) Grand Gulch (approximately 161,000 acres).
(8) Hammond Canyon (approximately 4,700 acres).
(9) Monument Canyon (approximately 18,000 acres).
(10) Nokai Dome (approximately 94,000 acres).
(11) Road Canyon (approximately 64,000 acres).
(12) San Juan River (approximately 15,000 acres).
(13) The Tabernacle (approximately 7,400 acres).
(14) Tin Cup Mesa (approximately 26,000 acres).
(15) Valley of the Gods (approximately 20,000 acres).
SEC. 107. CANYONLANDS BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) Canyonlands National Park safeguards only a small
portion of the extraordinary red-hued, cliff-walled
canyonland region of the Colorado Plateau;
(2) areas near Canyonlands National Park contain canyons
with rushing perennial streams, natural arches, bridges, and
towers;
(3) the gorges of the Green and Colorado Rivers lie on
adjacent land managed by the Secretary;
(4) popular overlooks in Canyonlands National Park and Dead
Horse Point State Park have views directly into adjacent
areas, including Lockhart Basin and Indian Creek; and
(5) designation of those areas as wilderness would ensure
the protection of this erosional masterpiece of nature and of
the rich pockets of wildlife found within its expanded
boundaries.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Bridger Jack Mesa (approximately 33,500 acres).
(2) Butler Wash (approximately 27,000 acres).
(3) Dead Horse Cliffs (approximately 5,300 acres).
(4) Demon's Playground (approximately 3,600 acres).
(5) Duma Point (approximately 14,500 acres).
(6) Gooseneck (approximately 9,400 acres).
(7) Hatch Point Canyons/Lockhart Basin (approximately
150,500 acres).
(8) Horseshoe Canyon (approximately 83,500 acres).
(9) Horsethief Point (approximately 15,500 acres).
(10) Indian Creek (approximately 28,500 acres).
(11) Labyrinth Canyon (approximately 83,000 acres).
(12) San Rafael River (approximately 117,000 acres).
(13) Shay Mountain (approximately 15,500 acres).
(14) Sweetwater Reef (approximately 69,500 acres).
SEC. 108. SAN RAFAEL SWELL WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the San Rafael Swell towers above the desert like a
castle, ringed by 1,000-foot ramparts of Navajo Sandstone;
(2) the highlands of the San Rafael Swell have been
fractured by uplift and rendered hollow by erosion over
countless millennia, leaving a tremendous basin punctuated by
mesas, buttes, and canyons and traversed by sediment-laden
desert streams;
(3) among other places, the San Rafael wilderness offers
exceptional back country opportunities in the colorful Wild
Horse Badlands, the monoliths of North Caineville Mesa, the
rock towers of Cliff Wash, and colorful cliffs of Humbug
Canyon;
(4) the mountains within these areas are among Utah's most
valuable habitat for desert bighorn sheep; and
(5) the San Rafael Swell area should be protected and
managed to ensure its preservation as a wilderness area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Cedar Mountain (approximately 15,000 acres).
(2) Devils Canyon (approximately 14,000 acres).
(3) Eagle Canyon (approximately 38,500 acres).
(4) Factory Butte (approximately 22,000 acres).
(5) Hondu Country (approximately 2,600 acres).
(6) Jones Bench (approximately 3,400 acres).
(7) Limestone Cliffs (approximately 25,500 acres).
(8) Lost Spring Wash (approximately 36,500 acres).
(9) Mexican Mountain (approximately 25,000 acres).
(10) Molen Reef (approximately 32,500 acres).
(11) Muddy Creek (approximately 92,000 acres).
(12) Mussentuchit Badlands (approximately 24,500 acres).
(13) Price River-Humbug (approximately 122,000 acres).
(14) Red Desert (approximately 36,500 acres).
(15) Rock Canyon (approximately 17,500 acres).
(16) San Rafael Knob (approximately 15,000 acres).
(17) San Rafael Reef (approximately 53,000 acres).
(18) Sids Mountain (approximately 36,500 acres).
(19) Upper Muddy Creek (approximately 18,500 acres).
(20) Wild Horse Mesa (approximately 63,000 acres).
SEC. 109. BOOK CLIFFS AND UINTA BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin wilderness areas
offer--
(A) unique big game hunting opportunities in verdant high-
plateau forests;
(B) the opportunity for float trips of several days
duration down the Green River in Desolation Canyon; and
(C) the opportunity for calm water canoe weekends on the
White River;
(2) the long rampart of the Book Cliffs bounds the area on
the south, while seldom-visited uplands, dissected by the
rivers and streams, slope away to the north into the Uinta
Basin;
(3) bears, Bighorn sheep, cougars, elk, and mule deer
flourish in the back country of the Book Cliffs; and
(4) the Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin areas should be
protected and managed to ensure the protection of the areas
as wilderness.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(1) Bad Land Cliffs (approximately 13,000 acres).
(2) Bourdette Draw (approximately 15,500 acres).
(3) Bull Canyon (approximately 3,100 acres).
(4) Dead Horse Pass (approximately 8,400 acres).
(5) Desbrough Canyon (approximately 14,000 acres).
(6) Desolation Canyon (approximately 32,000 acres).
[[Page S7053]]
(7) Diamond Breaks (approximately 8,600 acres).
(8) Diamond Canyon (approximately 168,000 acres).
(9) Diamond Mountain (approximately 31,000 acres).
(10) Dinosaur Adjacent (approximately 7,900 acres).
(11) Goslin Mountain (approximately 3,800 acres).
(12) Hideout Canyon (approximately 12,500 acres).
(13) Lower Flaming Gorge (approximately 21,000 acres).
(14) Mexico Point (approximately 1,500 acres).
(15) Moonshine Draw (approximately 10,500 acres).
(16) Mountain Home (approximately 7,800 acres).
(17) O-Wi-Yu-Kuts (approximately 14,000 acres).
(18) Red Creek Badlands (approximately 4,600 acres).
(19) Survey Point (approximately 8,600 acres).
(20) Turtle Canyon (approximately 9,700 acres).
TITLE II--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
SEC. 201. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Names of Wilderness Areas.--Each wilderness area named
in title I shall--
(1) consist of the quantity of land referenced with respect
to that named area, as generally depicted on the map entitled
``Utah BLM Wilderness Proposed by H.R. 1630, 113th
Congress''; and
(2) be known by the name given to it in title I.
(b) Map and Description.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and a
legal description of each wilderness area designated by this
Act with--
(A) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate.
(2) Force of law.--A map and legal description filed under
paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
clerical and typographical errors in the map and legal
description.
(3) Public availability.--Each map and legal description
filed under paragraph (1) shall be filed and made available
for public inspection in the Office of the Director of the
Bureau of Land Management.
SEC. 202. ADMINISTRATION.
Subject to valid rights in existence on the date of
enactment of this Act, each wilderness area designated under
this Act shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance
with--
(1) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
(2) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).
SEC. 203. STATE SCHOOL TRUST LAND WITHIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), if State-owned
land is included in an area designated by this Act as a
wilderness area, the Secretary shall offer to exchange land
owned by the United States in the State of approximately
equal value in accordance with section 603(c) of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c))
and section 5(a) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1134(a)).
(b) Mineral Interests.--The Secretary shall not transfer
any mineral interests under subsection (a) unless the State
transfers to the Secretary any mineral interests in land
designated by this Act as a wilderness area.
SEC. 204. WATER.
(a) Reservation.--
(1) Water for wilderness areas.--
(A) In general.--With respect to each wilderness area
designated by this Act, Congress reserves a quantity of water
determined by the Secretary to be sufficient for the
wilderness area.
(B) Priority date.--The priority date of a right reserved
under subparagraph (A) shall be the date of enactment of this
Act.
(2) Protection of rights.--The Secretary and other officers
and employees of the United States shall take any steps
necessary to protect the rights reserved by paragraph (1)(A),
including the filing of a claim for the quantification of the
rights in any present or future appropriate stream
adjudication in the courts of the State--
(A) in which the United States is or may be joined; and
(B) that is conducted in accordance with section 208 of the
Department of Justice Appropriation Act, 1953 (66 Stat. 560,
chapter 651).
(b) Prior Rights Not Affected.--Nothing in this Act
relinquishes or reduces any water rights reserved or
appropriated by the United States in the State on or before
the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) Administration.--
(1) Specification of rights.--The Federal water rights
reserved by this Act are specific to the wilderness areas
designated by this Act.
(2) No precedent established.--Nothing in this Act related
to reserved Federal water rights--
(A) shall establish a precedent with regard to any future
designation of water rights; or
(B) shall affect the interpretation of any other Act or any
designation made under any other Act.
SEC. 205. ROADS.
(a) Setbacks.--
(1) Measurement in general.--A setback under this section
shall be measured from the center line of the road.
(2) Wilderness on 1 side of roads.--Except as provided in
subsection (b), a setback for a road with wilderness on only
1 side shall be set at--
(A) 300 feet from a paved Federal or State highway;
(B) 100 feet from any other paved road or high standard
dirt or gravel road; and
(C) 30 feet from any other road.
(3) Wilderness on both sides of roads.--Except as provided
in subsection (b), a setback for a road with wilderness on
both sides (including cherry-stems or roads separating 2
wilderness units) shall be set at--
(A) 200 feet from a paved Federal or State highway;
(B) 40 feet from any other paved road or high standard dirt
or gravel road; and
(C) 10 feet from any other roads.
(b) Setback Exceptions.--
(1) Well-defined topographical barriers.--If, between the
road and the boundary of a setback area described in
paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a), there is a well-
defined cliff edge, stream bank, or other topographical
barrier, the Secretary shall use the barrier as the
wilderness boundary.
(2) Fences.--If, between the road and the boundary of a
setback area specified in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection
(a), there is a fence running parallel to a road, the
Secretary shall use the fence as the wilderness boundary if,
in the opinion of the Secretary, doing so would result in a
more manageable boundary.
(3) Deviations from setback areas.--
(A) Exclusion of disturbances from wilderness boundaries.--
In cases where there is an existing livestock development,
dispersed camping area, borrow pit, or similar disturbance
within 100 feet of a road that forms part of a wilderness
boundary, the Secretary may delineate the boundary so as to
exclude the disturbance from the wilderness area.
(B) Limitation on exclusion of disturbances.--The Secretary
shall make a boundary adjustment under subparagraph (A) only
if the Secretary determines that doing so is consistent with
wilderness management goals.
(C) Deviations restricted to minimum necessary.--Any
deviation under this paragraph from the setbacks required
under in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a) shall be the
minimum necessary to exclude the disturbance.
(c) Delineation Within Setback Area.--The Secretary may
delineate a wilderness boundary at a location within a
setback under paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a) if, as
determined by the Secretary, the delineation would enhance
wilderness management goals.
SEC. 206. LIVESTOCK.
Within the wilderness areas designated under title I, the
grazing of livestock authorized on the date of enactment of
this Act shall be permitted to continue subject to such
reasonable regulations and procedures as the Secretary
considers necessary, as long as the regulations and
procedures are consistent with--
(1) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and
(2) section 101(f) of the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of
1990 (Public Law 101-628; 104 Stat. 4469).
SEC. 207. FISH AND WILDLIFE.
Nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction of the State
with respect to wildlife and fish on the public land located
in the State.
SEC. 208. MANAGEMENT OF NEWLY ACQUIRED LAND.
Any land within the boundaries of a wilderness area
designated under this Act that is acquired by the Federal
Government shall--
(1) become part of the wilderness area in which the land is
located; and
(2) be managed in accordance with this Act and other laws
applicable to wilderness areas.
SEC. 209. WITHDRAWAL.
Subject to valid rights existing on the date of enactment
of this Act, the Federal land referred to in title I is
withdrawn from all forms of--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public law;
(2) location, entry, and patent under mining law; and
(3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and
geothermal leasing or mineral materials.
______
By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. Casey):
S. 3057. A bill to modernize the Older Americans Act of 1965, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, there is a great deal of activity going
on as we seek to conclude the negotiations on so many important issues.
However, I don't want us to lose sight of the expiration of the
authorization of the Older Americans Act--a very important law that
makes a big difference for many of our seniors all across our country--
so I rise today to introduce a reauthorization of that important law
called the Modernization of the Older Americans
[[Page S7054]]
Act. I am pleased to sponsor this reauthorization with Senator Bob
Casey, who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Special Committee
on Aging, of which I am the chair.
Since 1965, the Older Americans Act has ensured that seniors receive
the support they need to grow older independently and with dignity. The
OAA programs provide nutritious food, transportation, assistance to
caregivers, and in-home services for older adults. Our investments
foster a sense of community for older adults and save taxpayers money
by reducing hospitalizations and the need for long-term residential
care.
I know the Presiding Officer would agree that most seniors would
prefer to remain in the comfort, security, and privacy of their own
homes if they possibly can. It is the programs of the Older Americans
Act that help to make that possible.
As our population grows older, the demand for Older American Act
services has grown as well. For example, Meals on Wheels--perhaps the
best known of all the OAA programs--provided seniors with 358 million
meals last year. In many States, the need is soaring. In Maine, which
is the oldest State by median age in the country, there is a waiting
list of 400 to 1,500 seniors, depending on the time of the year and the
location within our State.
This reauthorization helps to ensure that more seniors in need of
nutritious food can be served. At $11 a day, a meal is far cheaper than
a $2,400 average cost of a daily hospital stay. Let me give an example
of what I mean by that. Using Older Americans Act dollars, the Southern
Maine Agency on Aging conducted a pilot study that provided seniors
discharged from hospitals with 4 weeks' worth of prepared meals. The
results were astounding. Hospital readmissions were reduced by 38
percent--a 387-percent return on investment. If you scaled that
nationwide, the savings would be an astronomical $51 billion annually--
just ensuring that a senior who is discharged from the hospital has 4
weeks' worth of prepared meals available to him or her.
We have also included several provisions in the reauthorization to
combat social isolation, which can have devastating health effects. In
fact, estimates are that prolonged isolation and loneliness have an
impact on health that is comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Just think of that.
My State is already on the forefront of combating this epidemic of
isolation. Using Older Americans Act funding, the Maine Eastern Area
Agency on Aging has partnered with the University of Maine to implement
Project Generations, which brings student volunteers into the homes of
local seniors for visits. Our reauthorization includes an increased
focus on the detrimental effects of social isolation and would provide
States with more resources to develop programs like Project
Generations. What a wonderful program this is. It not only gives some
company that an older American might not have, but also it is great for
those students to have the interaction with our seniors. It truly is a
win-win program.
Flexibility and innovation have always been at the heart of the Older
Americans Act. What may be needed in the Presiding Officer's home State
may be different from what is needed in the State of Maine. Our
reauthorization would help communities continue to find creative
solutions to meet the needs of our seniors. For example, the Southern
Maine Agency on Aging restructured its congregate meals program by
hosting meals in multigenerational settings, such as hospital and
college cafeterias and small local restaurants. Since then, the program
has grown by 55 percent and boosted the local economy by increasing the
number of diners from rural areas by 61 percent in the first 5 years.
It is much more interesting for our seniors to go out to a local
restaurant for a congregate meal than in some cases going to a senior
center. It may be more interesting for them to go to a college
cafeteria and have that interaction with younger people. Whatever
works, that is the answer. In some areas, it may work to do a college
or hospital cafeteria; in another, it is a senior center; and in still
others, it may be the local diner that is providing the meal.
The core of the Older Americans Act is protecting the most vulnerable
of our older Americans. One critical program is the Long-Term Care
Ombudsman Program. This provides advocacy for residents in long-term
care facilities, assisting with discharge and also protecting their
rights.
There was a disturbing story in one of the weekend newspapers in
Maine about a nursing home that was not living up to the quality
standards that we need, and that is where the ombudsman program can be
absolutely critical because a lot of times, the relatives of residents
are very cautious about complaining. They are fearful that their loved
one may have nowhere else to go. So the ombudsman program is an
important quality control program.
At an Aging Committee hearing this May, the executive director of
Maine's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Brenda Gallant, shared the
story of a 94-year-old woman whom she was able to help transition from
a nursing home back to her own home after recovering from a fractured
hip. Brenda connected the woman with the resources and the technologies
to make the transition a smooth one and to help her live successfully
back in her own home, just where she wanted to be.
The Older Americans Act is a shining example of a Federal policy that
works. Every dollar invested into the Older Americans Act generates $3
by helping seniors stay at home through highly effective and lower cost
community-based services.
I thank the dozens of stakeholders we have worked with over the past
several months. We have gotten lots of input in preparing this
reauthorization, including from the Leadership Council of Aging
Organizations, AARP, the National Association of Area Agencies on
Aging, Advancing States, the National Alliance for Caregiving, Meals on
Wheels America, and the Alzheimer's Association.
I ask unanimous consent to print these many letters of support in the
Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
AARP,
December 16, 2019.
Hon. Susan Collins,
Chair, Special Committee on Aging,
U.S. Senate.
Hon. Bob Casey,
Ranking Member, Special Committee on Aging,
U.S. Senate.
Dear Senators Collins and Casey: On behalf of our nearly 38
million members and all older Americans nationwide, AARP is
pleased to support the Modernization of the Older Americans
Act Amendments, legislation to reauthorize the Older
Americans Act (OAA). We appreciate your leadership and the
bipartisan work of Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander and Ranking
Member Patty Murray in developing this legislation, and
encourage prompt reauthorization of OAA.
The Older Americans Act has a powerful legacy. Since 1965
it has provided older Americans with the support they need to
live at home with independence and dignity. In 2017 alone,
OAA programs provided services for over 11 million older
adults. Those services include home care, congregate and
home-delivered meals, case management, family caregiver
support, transportation, adult day care, legal services,
elder abuse prevention, and job training and employment
opportunities for low-income older adults. OAA programs serve
the needs of older Americans while deferring or eliminating
the need for costly institutionalization.
The Modernization of the Older Americans Act Amendments
builds on this legacy. The legislation further strengthens
the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) by
helping to make sure that more caregivers can get their needs
assessed when they turn to the program for support, extends
the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, and increases funding levels
to support the needs of the growing older population. This
legislation, which will promote greater responsiveness to the
needs of older Americans and their caregivers, comes at a
critical time. From 2019 to 2030 we expect to see the 80+
population grow by 54 percent. This age group is among the
most likely to need help living independently in their homes
and communities .
Again, thank you for your bipartisan leadership in
advancing this important legislation. We urge prompt
reauthorization so that our loved ones can continue to turn
to these services for their health and economic security as
they age. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Megan O'Reilly,
Vice President, Federal Health & Family Government Affairs.
[[Page S7055]]
____
National Alliance for Caregiving,
November 15, 2019.
Re Senator Collins ``Modernization of the Older Americans Act
Amendments'' bill in the 116th Congress.
Hon. Susan Collins,
Chairman,
Special Committee on Aging.
On behalf of the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), we
are happy to support Senator Collins ``Modernization of the
Older Americans Act Amendments'' bill. Thank you for the
opportunity to participate in the reauthorization process for
the Older Americans Act. This law is one of the most
underrecognized supports for family caregivers of adults, and
your leadership in the goal to strengthen families and the
dignity and independence of aging adults is critical to the
communities we serve.
We were excited to have the opportunity to come and meet
with your staff and to explore ways that family caregiving
could be supported with this reauthorization. Your leadership
and commitment to families is evident in the latest draft of
the bill and we appreciate the opportunity to provide our
input, as follows:
1. NAC recommended that the bill increase the authorized
funding level for the National Family Caregiver Support
Program (Title IIIE) from the current appropriated level of
$181.2 million to $360 million. We recognize that OAA funding
has not kept pace with inflation and the growing demands
placed on families as the population ages. We remain hopeful
that you will be able to support our request.
2. NAC recommended that the bill direct the Assistant
Secretary (in Title II) to award a grant to or enter into a
cooperative agreement with a public or private nonprofit
entity to establish and operate a National Resource Center on
Family Caregiving. Although the draft bill does not
specifically direct the creation of the Resource Center,
Section 215 of the Modernization of the Older Americans Act
includes language pertaining to ``(i) Activities of National
Significance, which offers a potential for the creation of a
Resource Center. We suggest the following modification to
strengthen that section:
(i) Activities of National Significance.--The Assistant
Secretary [may] shall award funds authorized under this
section to one or more public or private nonprofit entities
with appropriate caregiving expertise for conducting
activities of national significance that--
(1[2]) include, with respect to such programs, program
evaluation, training, technical assistance, materials,
dissemination, and research; and
([1]2) promote quality and continuous improvement in the
support provided to family caregivers and older relative
caregivers through programs carried out under this section
and section 631.
3. We recommended extending the RAISE Family Caregivers Act
of 2017, and we appreciate the current draft bill which would
extend the act for five years.
4. Section 215 of the current draft bill about the National
Family Caregiver Support Program addresses our recommendation
to increase the use of standardized family caregiver
assessment tools. The inclusion of a clear definition for
caregiver assessment, identifying and disseminating best
practices, and calling for a report on the status of
caregiver assessment are excellent proposals to successfully
expand assessment tools and access to services for family
caregivers.
5. NAC's fifth recommendation was to direct the Assistant
Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a plan to
implement recommendation 1-g from the National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's ``Families Caring for
and Aging America'' report: ``Launch a multi-agency research
program sufficiently robust to evaluate caregiver
interventions in real-world health care and community
settings, across diverse conditions and populations, and with
respect to a broad array of outcomes.'' Noting that this is
not in the current draft, we would offer our expertise and be
happy to participate in further conversation about how such a
research program might be created.
Again, thank you and we look forward to a successful
reauthorization this year.
Kind regards,
C. Grace Whiting, J.D,
President, CEO.
Michael R. Wittke, B.S.W., M.P.A.,
Senior Director, Public Policy and Advocacy.
____
West Health Institute,
December 2, 2019.
Hon. Susan Collins.
Dear Senator Collins: On behalf of the Gary and Mary West
Health Institute (WHI), I am writing to thank you and your
staff for your tireless efforts to reauthorize the Older
Americans Act (OAA). Originally enacted in 1965, the OAA
supports a range of vital home- and community-based programs,
such as Meals on Wheels and other nutritional support; in-
home, transportation and legal services; and elder abuse
prevention and caregiver support. Protecting seniors' access
to these services is critical in light of the growing
population of U.S. seniors, which is projected to reach 56
million in 2020 and more than 73 million by 2030. We urge
your colleagues to support reauthorization of this critical
legislation before the end of the year.
Based in San Diego, WHI is an applied medical research
organization and part of nonprofit and nonpartisan West
Health, which also includes the Gary and Mary West Foundation
and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center. Our
organizations work together toward a shared mission dedicated
to lowering the cost of healthcare to enable seniors to
successfully age in place with access to high-quality,
affordable health and support services that preserve and
protect their dignity, quality of life and independence.
One of West Health's flagship programs is the Gary and Mary
West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego. At the
Senior Wellness Center, which is operated by the nonprofit
Serving Seniors, low-income seniors receive coordinated care
and social support services--all under one roof. Since it
opened in 2010, the Center has served over 1.7 million
nutritious meals and has provided more than 10,000 seniors
with services they need from the Center's 30 collaborative
partners, including the Gary and Mary West Senior Dental
Center--a separate, onsite nonprofit dental clinic providing
affordable oral care to low-income seniors.
In recent years, West Health has focused on shining a light
on one of the greatest threats to successful aging: senior
malnutrition. Malnutrition disproportionally affects seniors.
One out of two seniors are at risk, and disease-associated
malnutrition in seniors is estimated to cost $51.3 billion
annually. With our nation's rapidly growing senior
population, the impact of malnutrition will be even greater
if action is not taken now. Thank you for adding malnutrition
to routine health screenings in your draft legislation as
well as H.R. 4334.
We fully appreciate the value of OAA funded programs in
enriching seniors' lives and urge Congress to reauthorize the
OAA this year at the highest possible authorization levels.
On behalf of the seniors we serve, thank you for your
advocacy and leadership.
Sincerely,
Shelley Lyford,
President and Chief Executive Officer.
____
National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services
Programs,
Washington, DC, November 16, 2019.
NANASP Older Americans Act Draft Bill Comments
To the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)
Committee Majority:
Thank you for providing an opportunity to share comments on
the draft bill you released for the 2019 Older Americans Act
reauthorization.
NANASP is pleased that Sen. Collins' Older Americans Act
proposal includes:
Increased authorizations for funding levels. The bill
includes continued increases over the next seven federal
fiscal years (FY) for Older Americans Act programs, including
an increase of over $473 million total for Older Americans
Act nutrition programs by FY 2026--increases that are sorely
needed for programs that are stretched thin by growing
demand.
An increased focus on malnutrition. The bill includes new
provisions for malnutrition screening and adds reduction of
malnutrition to the purposes of the nutrition program. Since
more than one in two older adults is at risk for
malnutrition, which increases their risk of disease and
death, it is vital to detect this condition early.
Simpler transfer authority between congregate and home-
delivered meals programs. The bill includes language
instructing states to ensure that the transfer process for
nutrition programs is simplified and clarified, maximizing
efficiency and minimizing paperwork and confusion.
Creation of a nutrition program impact study. This study
would assess how to measure and evaluate the discrepancy
between available nutrition services and the demand for such
services, which would ultimately lead to data to strengthen
the case for much-needed future funding increases for
nutrition programs.
Inclusion of culturally considerate and medically tailored
meals in nutrition programs' offerings to the maximum extent
practicable. As the older population becomes more diverse, it
is important to take newly diverse preferences into
consideration when providing meals. Medically tailored meals
have also been shown to reduce disease burden in older adults
and are important to consider offering as well.
An increased focus on social isolation. Through the first-
time inclusion of social isolation screening, further
coordination of services to address this issue, and creation
of an advisory council on social isolation, Older Americans
Act programs and services can even more effectively address
the needs of socially isolated older adults.
Strengthened family caregiver provisions. Caregivers,
including older relative caregivers, need support, and this
bill would increase the use of caregiver assessments to
analyze their needs as well as allow individual states to
determine spending needs for older relative caregivers.
If you have any questions, please contact NANASP's Policy
and Advocacy Director Meredith Whitmire.
Bob Blancato,
Executive Director.
Meredith Whitmire,
Policy and Advocacy Director.
____
[[Page S7056]]
Alzheimer's Impact Movement,
November 15, 2019.
Hon. Susan Collins,
Chairman, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.
Dear Chairman Collins: On behalf of the Alzheimer's
Association and the Alzheimer's Impact Movement (AIM),
including our nationwide network of advocates, thank you for
your continued leadership on issues and legislation important
to Americans living with Alzheimer's and other dementias, and
their caregivers. In addition, thank you for working in a
bipartisan manner to reauthorize this important program,
including the hearing held by the Senate Special Committee on
Aging. We are proud to support this draft of the Older
Americans Act (OAA) reauthorization and are pleased to
highlight several provisions that are critical to persons
living with dementia, families, and their caregivers.
We strongly support the inclusion in the draft of language
codifying existing authority to provide services to
individuals living with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease
under the National Family Caregiver Support Program and the
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. We are very appreciative
for the inclusion of these key elements of the Younger-Onset
Alzheimer's Disease Act (S. 901/H.R. 1903).
There are approximately 5.8 million Americans living with
Alzheimer's disease. The vast majority of those individuals
are over the age of 65, however, approximately 200,000
Americans are under the age of 65 living with younger-onset
Alzheimer's disease. Individuals living with younger-onset
face unique challenges when it comes to family, work, and
finances. They may be parenting young children at home, or
still be working as the primary income provider for their
families. Due to their young age, they may have more trouble
receiving an accurate diagnosis, and even family and friends
might question their diagnosis. The stigma associated with
younger-onset Alzheimer's can have a significant impact on
their well-being and quality of life.
Since 97 percent of all people living with Alzheimer's are
age 65 or older, current Alzheimer's support infrastructure
focuses exclusively on seniors. As a result, few supportive
services are available to those with younger-onset. With
other diseases--like heart disease, diabetes, and even
cancer--many people living with them are middle-aged and
there is a large support structure available to them. Those
same support structures are not available for the individuals
living with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. The services
provided under the OAA are particularly helpful for
individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease and
related dementias who need assistance with activities of
daily living.
The Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Act is consistent
with the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. The
Advisory Council on Alzheimers Research. Care. and Services.
which is responsible for updating and implementing the Plan,
has noted that persons living with younger-onset Alzheimer's
face unique challenges in accessing care. In the 2017
National Plan, the Advisory Council recommended that Congress
amend the OAA to allow additional services to be provided to
younger adults living with dementia.
The Alzheimer's Association and AIM also deeply appreciate
the bill's extension of the authorization for the RAISE
Family Caregivers Act from 3 years to 8 years. We have been
strong advocates for the RAISE Family Caregivers Act since it
was introduced in Congress. There has been a delay in the
implementation of the Act and the decision to extend the
authorization allows the Department of Health and Human
Services to better develop a national strategy for education
and training, long-term services and supports, and financial
stability and security for caregivers.
For millions of Americans caring for individuals with
Alzheimer's and other dementias the emotional, physical, and
financial costs can be overwhelming. Caregivers of people
with dementia report higher levels of stress, depression, and
worse health outcomes than those providing care to
individuals without dementia. As a result, Alzheimer's
caregivers incurred $11.8 billion in additional health costs
last year. We appreciate the bill prioritizing this important
program.
We also applaud the bill's strengthening of caregiver
assessments. In 2018, more than 16 million unpaid caregivers
provided 18.5 billion hours of care valued at nearly $234
billion and face the challenges noted above. Eighty-three
percent of the help provided to older adults in the United
States comes from family members, friends, or other unpaid
caregivers. Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to
older adults do so for someone living with Alzheimer's or
another dementia. Alzheimer's takes a devastating toll on
caregivers. Compared with caregivers of people without
dementia, twice as many caregivers of those with dementia
indicate substantial emotional, financial, and physical
difficulties. Of the total lifetime cost of caring for
someone with dementia, 70 percent is borne by families--
either through out-of-pocket health and long-term care
expenses or from the value of unpaid care.
These dedicated caregivers would greatly benefit from
increased resources, training, and support to help them
navigate the strain of caregiving and improve their health
and quality of life. The proposed changes would provide these
caregivers with much-needed resources through the National
Family Caregiver Support Program, increase the use of
caregiver assessments, and identify best practices relating
to the programs. These important actions will enhance support
for caregivers through skills building, increased resources
and information, respite care, counseling, and other helpful
benefits.
Finally, the Association and AIM appreciate your commitment
to supporting individuals facing social isolation with the
inclusion of a report on social isolation. Social isolation
is an issue within the aging community as a whole, and
particularly in the Alzheimer's and related dementias
community. Studies have found that support groups can
decrease social isolation and increase social support,
ability to accept the diagnosis, cope with symptoms, improve
quality of life, and enhance family communication
(Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Practice
Recommendations, 2018). Support programs offered through the
National Family Caregiver Support Program can work to
decrease social isolation. We appreciate the bill's inclusion
of a study on the effectiveness of these programs.
Again, thank you for your leadership in ensuring OAA's
reauthorization, which will improve the quality of care for
people living with Alzheimer's. If you have any questions,
please contact Rachel Conant, Vice President of Federal
Affairs.
Sincerely,
Robert Egge,
Chief Public Policy Officer,
Executive Vice President, Government Affairs.
____
The Jewish Federations
of North America,
November 25, 2019.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell,
U.S. Senate.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer,
U.S. Senate.
Chairman Lamar Alexander,
HELP Committee, U.S. Senate.
Ranking Member Patty Murray,
HELP Committee, U.S. Senate.
Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Chairman Alexander
and Ranking Member Murray: The Jewish Federations of North
America (JFNA) is proud to endorse the Modernization of the
Older Americans Act Amendments. JFNA represents 146 local
Jewish Federations, 300 Network communities, and thousands of
affiliated social service agencies across the continent. Our
movement protects and enhances the well-being of Jews
worldwide through the values of tikkun olam (repairing the
world), tzedakah (charity and social justice) and torah
(Jewish learning). Jewish social services provide support for
more than one million vulnerable individuals each year,
Jewish and non-Jewish alike, including approximately 100,000
older adults.
For more than 50 years, the Older Americans Act (OAA) has
been essential in developing, coordinating, and delivering
home and community-based services that help older adults age
with independence and dignity in their homes and communities.
Without these crucial services, many individuals served by
OAA-funded programs in our network are at significant risk of
hunger, isolation, and losing their ability to live with
health and independence.
The Jewish community is disproportionately older than the
general population in this country with approximately 28% of
American Jews already over the age of 65, and the fastest
growing demographic in the Jewish community is those over the
age of 85. Jewish family service agencies, Jewish vocational
service agencies and Jewish community centers are a key
component of the country's Aging Services Network and, in a
classic public-private partnership, provide many services
funded through the OAA, including case management,
transportation, congregate and home-delivered meals, adult
day care, elder abuse prevention and intervention, family
caregiver support, home care, legal conservatorship, and
support groups.
This year's reauthorization process produced the
Modernization of the Older Americans Act Amendments in the
Senate, a bill that, if enacted, will significantly move the
ball forward in how our country and its Aging Services
Network treat and care for seniors. The very first
substantive provision of the bill (after the authorization of
appropriations) incorporates ``person-centered, trauma-
informed care'' (``PCTI'') as a new objective of the Older
Americans Act. This principle, which is subsequently defined
in the bill, represents a new trend in service delivery that
will positively impact both clients and agencies. It
incorporates a holistic approach to service provision that
promotes the dignity, strength, and empowerment of trauma
victims by referencing knowledge about the role of trauma in
trauma victims' lives. The inclusion of the PCTI approach in
this bill is indicative of the forward and necessary progress
embedded in the Modernization of the Older Americans Act
Amendments.
The Modernization of the Older Americans Act Amendments
authorizes a technical assistance center to serve older
adults experiencing the long-term and adverse consequences of
trauma. This includes but is not limited to Holocaust
survivors. Holocaust
[[Page S7057]]
survivors are specifically mentioned for the first time
within the Older Americans Act in the context of providing
additional outreach to older individuals ``including
Holocaust survivors'' who are at risk of institutional
placement. The bill also emphasizes cultural considerations
in the provision of congregate and home-delivered meals.
This Older American Act reauthorization incorporates new
support for age-friendly communities, a major new focus on
social isolation in older adults, an updating of, recognition
and support for multigenerational families, and assistance to
family caregivers with an extension of the RAISE Family
Caregivers Act. Each of these provisions and many others
contained in the bill will serve our nation well. JFNA also
is pleased with the lengthy reauthorization period and
relatively robust funding increases for the Older Americans
Act, which help safeguard support and removes uncertainty for
Collectively, this reauthorization vehicle that is very
worthy of support and JFNA looks forward to its enactment.
Sincerely,
Stephan O, Kline,
Interim Director of the Washington Office and Associate
Vice President, Public Policy The Jewish Federations of
North America.
____
Advancing States,
December 9, 2019.
Majority Leader McConnell,
U.S. Senate.
Minority Leader Schumer,
U.S. Senate.
Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer:
On behalf of ADvancing States, I am writing you in support of
efforts to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA).
ADvancing States is a nonpartisan association of state
government agencies that represents the nation's 56 state and
territorial agencies on aging and disabilities. We work to
support visionary state leadership, the advancement of state
systems innovation, and the development of national policies
that support home and community-based services for older
adults and persons with disabilities. Our members administer
a wide range of services and supports for older adults and
people with disabilities, including overseeing OAA programs
and services in every state. Together with our members, we
work to design, improve, and sustain state systems delivering
long-term services and supports for people who are older or
have a disability and for their caregivers.
We are writing to you to strongly encourage the U.S. Senate
to pass a bill to reauthorize the OAA as soon as possible.
Authorization for critical OAA programs, such as
homedelivered meals and caregiver supports, expired September
30, 2019. We know that members of the Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions committee have been working diligently to
craft a bill to reauthorize the OAA. We appreciate these
bipartisan efforts and strongly encourage the U.S. Senate to
pass a bill to reauthorize the OAA as soon as possible.
If you have any questions regarding this letter, please
feel free to contact Damon Terzaghi or Adam Mosey.
Sincerely,
Martha Roherty,
Executive Director.
Ms. COLLINS. I urge my colleagues to take a look at this bipartisan
bill.
We are overdue to reauthorize the Older Americans Act. This is our
opportunity not only to reauthorize it but to make it even better and
more responsive to the needs of America's older Americans.
Thank you very much.
______
By Mr. DURBIN:
S. 3058. A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to
establish fair and consistent eligibility requirements for graduate
medical schools operating outside the United States and Canada; to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 3058
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Foreign Medical School
Accountability Fairness Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
To establish consistent eligibility requirements for
graduate medical schools operating outside of the United
States and Canada in order to increase accountability and
protect American students and taxpayer dollars.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Three for-profit schools in the Caribbean have
historically received nearly \3/4\ of all Federal funding
under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1070 et seq.) that goes to students enrolled at foreign
graduate medical schools, despite those three schools being
exempt from meeting the same eligibility requirements as the
majority of graduate medical schools located outside of the
United States and Canada.
(2) The National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and
Accreditation and the Department of Education recommend that
all foreign graduate medical schools should be required to
meet the same eligibility requirements to participate in
Federal funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).
(3) The attrition rate at United States medical schools
averaged 3.3 percent between 1993 and 2013, while rates at
for-profit Caribbean medical schools have been known to reach
30 percent.
(4) In 2019, residency match rates for foreign trained
graduates averaged 59 percent compared to 94 percent for
graduates of allopathic medical schools in the United States.
(5) On average, students at for-profit medical schools
operating outside of the United States and Canada amass more
student debt than those at medical schools in the United
States.
SEC. 4. REPEAL GRANDFATHER PROVISIONS.
Section 102(a)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002(a)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking clause (i) and
inserting the following:
``(i) in the case of a graduate medical school located
outside the United States--
``(I) at least 60 percent of those enrolled in, and at
least 60 percent of the graduates of, the graduate medical
school outside the United States were not persons described
in section 484(a)(5) in the year preceding the year for which
a student is seeking a loan under part D of title IV; and
``(II) at least 75 percent of the individuals who were
students or graduates of the graduate medical school outside
the United States or Canada (both nationals of the United
States and others) taking the examinations administered by
the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
received a passing score in the year preceding the year for
which a student is seeking a loan under part D of title
IV;''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by adding at the end the
following:
``(V) Expiration of authority.--The authority of a graduate
medical school described in subclause (I) to qualify for
participation in the loan programs under part D of title IV
pursuant to this clause shall expire beginning on the first
July 1 following the date of enactment of the Foreign Medical
School Accountability Fairness Act of 2019.''.
SEC. 5. LOSS OF ELIGIBILITY.
If a graduate medical school loses eligibility to
participate in the loan programs under part D of title IV of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.)
due to the enactment of the amendments made by section 4,
then a student enrolled at such graduate medical school on or
before the date of enactment of this Act may, notwithstanding
such loss of eligibility, continue to be eligible to receive
a loan under such part D while attending such graduate
medical school in which the student was enrolled upon the
date of enactment of this Act, subject to the student
continuing to meet all applicable requirements for
satisfactory academic progress, until the earliest of--
(1) withdrawal by the student from the graduate medical
school;
(2) completion of the program of study by the student at
the graduate medical school; or
(3) the fourth June 30 after such loss of eligibility.
____________________