[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11464-11465]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUPPORTING CARE CORPS

  (Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico asked and was given 
permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 
to encourage my colleagues to support the Care Corps Demonstration Act. 
As a caregiver myself, I know how tough a job it is and how critical it 
is that we support family caregivers and the paid direct care 
workforce.
  But as our population continues to age, our country faces a critical 
shortage of caregivers. In 2010, there were seven potential caregivers 
for every person over the age of 80; by 2030, that ratio is projected 
to drop by almost half, to about 4 to 1. At the same time, our economy 
continues to feel the effect of the Great Recession, and many young 
people are unemployed or underemployed.
  That is why I am introducing this bipartisan bill which creates a 
grant program that would place Care Corps volunteers in communities 
across the

[[Page 11465]]

country to provide services that help seniors and individuals with 
disabilities remain independent. The program would help meet the need 
for more caregivers and provide opportunity in a growing career field 
by offering benefits and educational assistance to the volunteers.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to quickly pass this important 
bill.

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