[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               REAUTHORIZATION OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT

  (Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, as a part of a bipartisan 
effort, I am introducing a bill that takes the first step toward 
reauthorizing the Older Americans Act, the premier senior citizens 
services law. It is past time for Congress to get off the dime and 
improve the services our seniors need and expect.
  The Act performs a vital role in the everyday lives of millions of 
senior Americans by providing nutrition, disease prevention, health 
promotion and in-home services. Millions of seniors have benefited from 
the Act's programs.
  In 1996, the Older Americans Act provided 238 million meals to over 3 
million seniors. The Act also funded approximately 6,400 senior 
centers, 40 million rides, and more than 13 million requests for 
assistance.
  I am ready to work with the committee chairman, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling); the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. McKeon); the ranking member, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Clay); and the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Martinez); to move this reauthorization through the 
House; and I look forward to working with my friends from both sides of 
the aisle to achieve a good bipartisan reauthorization.

                          ____________________