[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 11706]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          OLDER AMERICANS ACT

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, as the chairman of the Senate Special 
Committee on Aging and as the cosponsor of the reauthorization of the 
Older Americans Act, I also commend the chairman and the ranking member 
of the HELP Committee for their hard work over the past 2 years in 
developing a bipartisan consensus bill to reauthorize and strengthen 
the Older Americans Act. It is my hope that the Senate later today will 
unanimously pass this important legislation.
  The programs authorized by the Older Americans Act are tremendously 
important in the State of Maine and across the country. Maine is the 
oldest State by median age in the entire country. Probably, if I asked 
most of my colleagues, they would guess it was Florida, but in fact it 
is the State of Maine.
  Maine's network of five area agencies on aging provides invaluable 
supports and services to more than 100,000 seniors living in my State.
  In just the past few months, I have received almost 700 letters from 
seniors across Maine urging that we pass the reauthorization bill. I 
look forward to letting my constituents know that the Senate soon will 
do just that.
  While funding has been provided on a continuing basis through the 
appropriations process, the fact is that legislation reauthorizing the 
Older Americans Act is long overdue. The authorization expired in 2011.
  It is particularly significant that the Senate pass this legislation 
this month, for July marks the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans 
Act.
  This law funds critical services in communities across our Nation 
that help to keep our older adults healthy and independent. Its funding 
supports some of the most vital and successful Federal programs for our 
Nation's seniors.
  Nearly 12 million older Americans receive services through this law, 
such services as Meals on Wheels, senior centers, transportation, legal 
services, and caregiver support.
  Moreover, these programs are operated through a national network of 
area agencies on aging that stresses local decisionmaking regarding 
what services are most needed for older adults in a particular 
community. It is a flexible program that allows local needs to be met.
  Older Americans Act programs also help to relieve the financial 
pressure on the Medicare and Medicaid Programs, because they help 
seniors to stay healthy, independent, and living right where they want 
to be--in the comfort, security, and privacy of their own homes.
  AARP's surveys consistently reflect the fact that aging in place is 
the preferred option for seniors who want to continue to live 
independently and avoid expensive nursing home and other 
institutionalized care as long as possible.
  This bill also includes important provisions to strengthen the Long-
Term Care Ombudsman Program and to help protect our vulnerable seniors 
from financial exploitation and abuse. Financial exploitation of our 
seniors is a growing epidemic that cost them an estimated $2.9 billion 
in 2010. It is so disturbing that in 90 percent of these cases, the 
financial exploitation abuse is perpetrated by a family member, a 
trusted individual, a caregiver--someone whom the senior knows well. 
The Aging Committee has held hearings to highlight this issue, and the 
bill that will be coming before the Senate later today will take steps 
to strengthen the Federal response to this growing problem.
  Of course passage by the Senate, while an essential step, is not the 
final step in reauthorizing this significant law. I look forward to 
continuing to work with the chairman, the ranking member, and our 
colleagues here and in the House to make the reauthorization of the 
Older Americans Act a reality this year. And how wonderful would it be 
if it could be a reality this month, which marks the 50th anniversary 
of this significant law.
  I thank the Presiding Officer and yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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