[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 14376-14377]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         OLDER AMERICANS MONTH

  Mr. KOHL. Madam President, generation by generation, the face of 
America is always changing. In the next quarter of a century, the laugh 
lines of that face will deepen as the number of older Americans 
explodes. Today, those over 65 account for 12 percent of our 
population; in 2030, they will account for 20 percent. Academic 
experts, policy wonks, economists, and health care providers are 
conjecturing broadly about how this demographic wave will affect our 
society. As chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I am 
listening carefully.
  It is the charge of the Aging Committee to plan accordingly for the 
challenges facing our seniors tomorrow and to tackle the problems 
confronting them today. Older American Month, which occurs each May, 
gives us an opportunity to highlight these issues but let me assure you 
that it is impossible to relegate senior issues into one neat category, 
and soon it will be impossible to confine our attention to them to just 
1 month.
  Nearly every issue dealt with by Congress affects older Americans, or 
is affected by them, in a unique way. From emergency preparedness to 
broadcast technology, from the size of the labor force to regulation of 
corporate marketing practices, these issues are worthy of our attention 
from the older person's perspective. Then there are, of course, the 
more obvious challenges ahead of us, such as preserving Social 
Security, strengthening Medicare, and improving long-term care.
  In the last 5 months alone, the Aging Committee has held hearings on 
a myriad of matters that are of vital concern to seniors. We have 
examined health care coverage for America's poorest seniors under 
Medicare Part D's low-income subsidy. We heard from the Vice Chairman 
of the Federal Reserve about the impact that millions of retiring baby 
boomers will have on our Nation's economy, and we learned about how 
best to retain and cater to the needs of older workers.
  We have deliberated on the progress made by the nursing home industry 
over the last 20 years, as well as what currently needs to be done 
about the most neglectful, decrepit homes. Our investigative unit has 
shone a bright light on the shameful, deceptive sales tactics employed 
by certain providers of private Medicare Advantage plans.
  We have put forth compelling evidence for the continuation of 
SeniorCare, Wisconsin's highly efficient drug coverage program, in 
spite of the administration's desire to terminate it. And, I couldn't 
be more pleased to say, we worked with the rest of the Wisconsin 
delegation and in collaboration with Governor Jim Doyle to find a 
legislative fix to save SeniorCare, extending the program through 
December 31, 2009.

[[Page 14377]]

  As demonstrated by the work I have described, it is easy to see that 
protecting seniors--whether from fraud, poverty, or mistreatment--is a 
priority for the Aging Committee. However, it is also our priority to 
enable them. Though older Americans are often considered to be a 
vulnerable segment of the population, in many ways senior citizens 
strengthen our society. America's seniors have had decades to master 
skills and garner accomplishments, often rendering them our best 
leaders and innovators. A lot of them are out in the forefront of 
professional fields, staying active within community and family life in 
various capacities, and leading by example.
  The aging of America will affect every part our society, and it will 
touch every family in decades to come. We reap the benefits of the 
continued contributions of older Americans, and in return they deserve 
the best quality of life our Nation can afford them.

                          ____________________