[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15741]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE CAREGIVER ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF EFFORT (CARE) ACT, 
               LEGISLATION PROVIDING CAREGIVER ASSISTANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 12, 2005

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce The Caregiver 
Assistance and Relief Effort (CARE) Act. This bill addresses the needs 
of families that are making sacrifices to care for their loved ones by 
making long-term care more affordable. It would provide tax credits to 
those caring for ailing family members and loved ones, and encourage 
individuals to plan and invest in their own long-term care by offering 
a tax deduction for long-term care insurance. In addition, it would 
double the funding for the existing National Family Caregiver Support 
Program, which supports a wide range of important services for older 
persons.
  There are an estimated 44.4 million caregivers in the U.S., which is 
21 percent of the adult population. My home state of New Jersey has 
over 830,000 caregivers, ranking it 9th in the country. To respond to 
the needs of our country and my state, I am introducing legislation 
that will help all American families and all New Jersey families afford 
to provide the care that their loved ones need and deserve.
  As the father of college-age children and the son of a mother with 
Alzheimer's, I understand first-hand the challenges of putting children 
through college while providing long-term care for a loved one. 
Caregiving families face unique strains. They are burdened with 
additional costs and often caregivers must sacrifice their job or cut 
back on their hours at work. Almost 6 in 10 caregivers either work or 
have worked while providing care and 62 percent of caregivers report 
having had to make work-related adjustments ranging from going in late 
and leaving early to having to give up work entirely. Their compassion, 
dedication, and selflessness come at a price. This legislation is aimed 
at addressing their hard work and sacrifice.
  The challenge of caring for our aging population will only increase 
as the baby boom generation grows older and our life expectancy 
increases. We need to work now to address the challenges of providing 
affordable long-term care, encourage future retirees to plan for their 
own long-term care, and strengthen our existing programs to address 
this growing need. Please join me in supporting this legislation and 
helping all families afford to care for the ones they love.

                          ____________________