SENIOR CITIZENS

Addresses

Facing Down the Bag Lady—Older Women in America: Colette Dowling, E2179 [30SE]

Amendments

Health: provide affordable, guaranteed private health coverage (S. 334), S3410 [24AP]

Medicare/Medicaid: extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (S. 3101), S5634, S5635 [12JN]

Public welfare programs: extend SSI for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants and collect unemployment compensation debts resulting from fraud (H.R. 2608), S8004, S8066, S8067 [1AU], H8298 [17SE]

Articles and editorials

Myth of `Best in the World'—A Spate of New Research Shows the U.S. Behind Other Countries in Cancer Survival and Diabetes Care, S4126 [14MY]

Bills and resolutions

AARP: anniversary (see S. Res. 666), S9025 [18SE] (see H. Res. 1464), H8477 [18SE]

Citizenship: exempt certain elderly persons from English language and government and history knowledge requirements for naturalization, and permit others to take the examinations in other languages (see H.R. 5750), H2150 [9AP]

Community service: establish Encore Service programs, Encore Fellowship programs, and Silver Scholarship programs (see S. 3480), S8383 [11SE]

Crime: establish pilot programs that provide for emergency crisis response teams to combat elder abuse (see H.R. 6141), H4830 [22MY]

———increase penalties for violations of securities protections that involve targeting senior citizens (see S. 3219), S6327 [27JN]

———prevent, promote awareness of, and educate the public on mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud targeting senior citizens (see H.R. 6954), H8476 [18SE]

———protect seniors from elder abuse by improving prosecution, law enforcement, and assistance to victims (see H.R. 5352), H869 [12FE]

Dept. of HHS: establish a drug discount program for individuals without prescription drug coverage (see H.R. 6619), H7164 [24JY]

———establish a small house nursing home loan program (see S. 3732), S10946 [11DE]

Dept. of HUD: expand supply of affordable housing with supportive services for the elderly (see S. 2736), S1741 [7MR]

Dept. of Justice: encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans throughout the U.S. (see H.R. 6064), H4059 [15MY]

———encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans throughout the U.S. and authorize grants to organizations to find missing adults (see S. 3579), S9492 [25SE]

———establish a State grant program to establish ``Silver Alert'' notification systems to locate missing individuals suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related illnesses (see H.R. 5898), H2758 [24AP]

———reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program (see H.R. 6503), H6576 [15JY]

Diseases: increase Alzheimer's disease research funding and promote public awareness and risk reduction relative to Alzheimer's disease with particular emphasis in Hispanic populations (see S. 3092), S5204 [5JN] (see H.R. 6203), H5043 [5JN]

Economy: reform health care, Social Security, tax code for individuals and small businesses, and the budget process (see H.R. 6110), H4453 [21MY]

Employment: improve employability (see S. 2933), S3507 [29AP]

Ewings, Arbella Perkins: tribute (see H. Res. 1099), H2224 [10AP]

Families and domestic relations: authorize additional appropriations for the family caregiver support program and for the National Clearinghouse for Long-term Care Information (see H.R. 7020), H9084 [23SE]

Family and Medical Leave Act: allow employees to take additional leave, parental leave for educational and extracurricular activities and clarify leave may be used for medical needs or to assist elderly relatives (see H.R. 7233), H10642 [29SE]

Hazardous substances: exempt health care facilities, schools, and day care centers from laws requiring energy efficient lighting if such lighting contains mercury (see H.R. 5232), H620 [6FE]

Health: improve research, diagnosis, and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases, conditions, and injuries and conduct a longitudinal study on aging (see H.R. 6478), H6406 [10JY]

———national policy to increase Federal commitment prioritizing disease prevention and public health (see H. Res. 1381), H7307 [29JY]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (see S. 3072), S4793 [22MY] (see H.R. 6444), H6341 [9JY] (see H.R. 6699), H7784 [31JY] (see H.R. 7166), H10131 [26SE]

Health care facilities: require that agreements to arbitrate nursing home disputes be made after the dispute has arisen (see S. 2838), S2817 [9AP] (see H.R. 6126), H4829 [22MY]

Health care professionals: attract and retain trained health care professionals and direct care workers dedicated to providing quality care to the growing population of older Americans (see S. 2708), S1596 [5MR] (see H.R. 6337), H5796 [20JN]

———expand, train, and support all sectors of the health care workforce to care for the growing population of older individuals (see S. 3730), S10881 [10DE]

Hurricanes: provide additional funding for affordable housing for low-income seniors, disabled persons, and others who lost their homes as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (see S. 2975), S3742 [2MY] (see H.R. 6751), H7786 [31JY]

Investments: protect from misleading and fraudulent marketing practices by senior financial advisors who have misleading designations (see S. 2794), S2295 [1AP]

Long-Term Care Awareness Week: support goals and ideals (see H. Con. Res. 431), H9974 [25SE]

Medicaid: improve the State plan amendment option for providing home and community-based services (see S. 3327), S7278 [24JY] (see H.R. 7212), H10331 [28SE]

Medicare: allow early access to benefits for individuals aged 55 to 65 and allow tax credits for payment of premiums for such benefits (see S. 3710), S10742 [20NO]

———amend special needs plans and the alignment of Medicare and Medicaid for dually eligible individuals (see H.R. 6365), H6088 [25JN]

———apply exceptions process for tiered formulary drugs to specialty tier drugs and limit cost-sharing for specialty tier drugs (see H.R. 6684), H7784 [31JY]

———clarify use of private contracts by beneficiaries for professional services and allow individuals to opt out of certain benefits (see H.R. 7148), H10131 [26SE]

———continue ability of hospitals to supply a needed workforce of nurses and allied health professionals by preserving funding for hospital operated nursing and allied health education programs (see S. 3468), S8275 [10SE] (see H.R. 5174), H555 [29JA]

———coverage of clinical pharmacist practitioner services under part B (see H.R. 5780), H2224 [10AP]

———coverage of individuals receiving a heart transplant (see H.R. 6196), H5043 [5JN]

———eliminate disparities in breast cancer treatment through development of a uniform set of treatment performance measures for a quality reporting system and value-based purchasing system (see H.R. 5901), H2758 [24AP]

———enhance beneficiary protections under parts C and D (see S. 2687), S1467 [3MR] (see H.R. 6359), H6009 [24JN]

———ensure all physicians are permitted to perform face-to-face examinations and prescribe durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (see H.R. 6119), H4453 [21MY]

———ensure more timely access to home health services for beneficiaries (see H.R. 6826), H7808 [1AU]

———enter into negotiated rulemaking to modernize Part B fee schedule for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests (see H.R. 6761), H7787 [31JY]

———establish a floor for payment for mammography (see H.R. 5711), H2011 [3AP]

———establish a hospice care demonstration program and grants programs for cancer palliative care and symptom management programs (see S. 2790), S2231 [31MR]

———establish budget neutral demonstration projects to study and improve the quality and cost effectiveness of cancer care services provided to beneficiaries (see H.R. 6725), H7786 [31JY]

———establish Independence at Home Chronic Care Coordination Demonstration Project (see S. 3613), S9657 [26SE] (see H.R. 7114), H10129 [26SE]

———exempt complex rehabilitation and assistive technology products from competitive acquisition program (see S. 2931), S3507 [29AP]

———exempt from critical access hospital inpatient bed limitation the number of beds provided for certain veterans (see H.R. 6557), H6733 [21JY]

———expand coverage of paramedic intercept services (see H.R. 6082), H4064 [16MY]

———expand development of quality measures for inpatient hospital services and implement a performance-based payment methodology for such services (see H.R. 7067), H9972 [25SE]

———extend and revise incentive payments for physician scarcity areas (see H.R. 6386), H6174 [26JN]

———extend physician payment rates (see H.R. 6129), H4829 [22MY]

———improve access of beneficiaries to immune globulins (see S. 2990), S3891 [7MY]

———improve access to, and increase utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits (see S. 2702), S1521 [4MR]

———improve access to health care for beneficiaries in rural areas (see S. 2786), S2133 [13MR]

———improve fairness and reduce regional inequities in reimbursement payments to providers (see S. 2962), S3698 [1MY]

———improve provision of telehealth services (see S. 2812), S2435 [3AP] (see H.R. 6163), H4830 [22MY]

———improve the provision of items and services to beneficiaries in rural areas (see H.R. 5953), H3018 [1MY]

———include vision restoration therapy devices and associated software used to treat impaired visual function due to acquired brain injury within the definition of durable medical equipment (see H.R. 6241), H5327 [11JN]

———limit prescription drug program premium increases to no more than Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and require Dept. of HHS to negotiate lower prescription drug prices (see H.R. 5317), H812 [7FE]

———permit physical therapy services to be furnished to individuals under the care of a dentist (see H.R. 5590), H1538 [11MR]

———preserve access to physicians' services (see S. 2785), S2133 [13MR] (see H.R. 6091), H4320 [20MY]

———provide coverage for consultations regarding orders for life sustaining treatment and provide grants for development and expansion of programs for such orders (see H.R. 7181), H10299 [27SE]

———provide coverage for the shingles vaccine (see H.R. 5877), H2657 [23AP]

———provide coverage of federally recommended vaccines (see H.R. 4992), H294 [16JA]

———provide coverage of remote patient management services for chronic health care conditions (see H.R. 5765), H2223 [10AP]

———provide for a disclosure requirement for physicians referring for imaging services (see S. 3343), S7526 [26JY] (see H.R. 6821), H7808 [1AU]

———provide for a geographic adjustment for cap on hospice care payments and require hospice programs to report comprehensive data on hospice care (see H.R. 6158), H4830 [22MY]

———provide for consolidated coverage of home infusion drug therapy (see S. 3505), S8947 [17SE]

———reduce fraud (see S. 3164), S5832 [19JN]

———reduce inequitable disparities in physician payments in rural areas and revise the practice expense geographic adjustment (see S. 3318), S7148 [23JY]

———reduce variation in Medicare Advantage payment rates among counties within the same State within certain very large metropolitan areas (see H.R. 6174), H4877 [3JN]

———replace the prescription drug benefit with a revised and simplified program for all beneficiaries (see H.R. 6800), H7807 [1AU]

———require continued application of budget neutrality on a national basis in calculation of the urban hospital wage floor (see S. 3582), S9492 [25SE] (see H.R. 6966), H8476 [18SE]

———respond to a funding warning by introducing principles of value-based health care and reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system (see S. 2662), S1121 [25FE] (see H.R. 5480), H1031 [25FE]

———revise timeframe for recognition of certain designations in certifying rural health clinics (see S. 3367), S7780 [30JY]

———stabilize and modernize the provision of partial hospitalization services (see S. 3116), S5524 [11JN]

———waive Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act requirements relative to action on legislation in response to a funding warning (see H. Res. 1368), H7057 [23JY]

Medicare/Medicaid: amend qualifications of the director of food services of a skilled nursing facility (see H.R. 7139), H10130 [26SE]

———extend expiring provisions (see S. 3236), S6504 [9JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (see S. 3101), S5366 [6JN] (see H.R. 6212), H5110 [9JN] (see H.R. 6331), H5796 [20JN]

———improve transparency of information on nursing and skilled nursing facilities and clarify and improve enforcement of requirements on such facilities (see S. 2641), S1054 [14FE] (see H.R. 5799), H2354 [15AP] (see H.R. 7128), H10130 [26SE]

———preserve access to health care (see S. 3656), S10176 [30SE] (see H.R. 7241), H10699 [2OC]

———prevent reduction in physician fee schedule, advance value based purchasing, electronic health records, and electronic prescribing, and maintain and improve access to care in rural areas (see S. 3118), S5524 [11JN]

———promote use of advance directives (see H.R. 5702), H2011 [3AP]

———reduce cost-sharing for certain dual eligible populations under the prescription drug benefit (see H.R. 5604), H1700 [13MR]

National Assisted Living Week: designate (see S. Res. 652), S8179 [9SE]

National Falls Prevention Awareness Day: support goals and ideals (see S. Res. 674), S9204 [22SE] (see H. Res. 1478), H8578 [22SE]

National Nursing Home Week: designate (see S. Res. 543), S3595 [30AP] (see H. Res. 1203), H4060 [15MY]

National Save for Retirement Week: designate (see S. Res. 601), S6158 [25JN]

———support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 1294), H5864 [23JN]

Native Americans: improve health care under Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Programs (see S. 2532), S93 [22JA]

Pensions: increase age at which distributions from qualified retirement plans are required to begin (see H.R. 7283), H10844 [19NO]

———suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans (see S. 3719, 3720), S10812 [8DE] (see H.R. 7277, 7279), H10844 [19NO] (see H.R. 7315), H10867 [9DE]

———suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans and temporarily waive penalty on withdrawals from such plans (see H.R. 7278), H10844 [19NO]

Public housing: train and employ residents in home-based health services in order to provide Medicaid-covered home-based health services to elderly and disabled residents (see H.R. 6033), H3776 [13MY]

Real estate: prohibit home equity conversion mortgage lenders from requiring seniors to purchase annuities with reverse mortgages proceeds and provide other consumer protections to reverse mortgage borrowers (see H.R. 5758), H2223 [10AP]

Social Security: allow choice of benefit payment method relative to computation rule application to workers attaining age 65 in or after 1982 (see S. 17), S10742 [20NO]

———increase maximum level of fees authorized to be charged by representatives relative to claims of entitlement to past-due benefits and require cost-of-living adjustments to such fees (see H.R. 7285), H10844 [19NO]

———prohibit the display of account numbers on Medicare cards (see S. 2908), S3401 [24AP] (see H.R. 6399), H6174 [26JN] (see H.R. 6600), H7163 [24JY]

———promote tobacco use cessation under Medicare, Medicaid, and the maternal and child health program (see S. 3206), S6285 [26JN] (see H.R. 6393), H6174 [26JN]

———protect seniors from identity theft and strengthen our national security by providing for the issuance of a secure Social Security card (see H.R. 5405), H942 [13FE]

———provide grants to eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals (see S. 3053), S4792 [22MY]

———strengthen and permanently preserve (see S. 2765), S2132 [13MR]

Taxation: adjust dollar amounts used to calculate the credit for the elderly and the permanently disabled for inflation since 1985 (see S. 2855), S3025 [15AP]

———allow a credit against income tax for individuals who care for certain dependents with long-term care needs (see H.R. 6665), H7628 [30JY]

———allow a deduction for long-term care insurance premiums, use of such insurance under cafeteria and flexible spending plans, and a credit for individuals with long-term care needs (see H.R. 5559), H1417 [6MR]

———allow a deduction for qualified long-term care insurance and a credit for individuals who care for those with long-term care needs (see H.R. 7095), H9973 [25SE]

———encourage retirement savings by modifying requirements of employer-established individual retirement accounts (see H.R. 5160), H555 [29JA]

———exclude from income and employment taxes real property tax abatements for seniors and disabled individuals in exchange for services (see H.R. 5484), H1031 [25FE]

———include senior citizens and disabled veterans in the provision of recovery rebates to individuals (see H.R. 5316), H812 [7FE]

———increase standard charitable mileage rate for delivery of meals to elderly, disabled, frail, and at-risk individuals (see H.R. 6675), H7628 [30JY]

———provide a credit for certain caregivers, expand dependent care credit, and increase exclusion limitation for dependent care assistance (see H.R. 6390), H6174 [26JN]

———provide a credit for long-term care insurance premiums and taxpayers with long-term care needs (see H.R. 6237), H5327 [11JN]

———provide a credit for taxpayers with long-term care needs (see H.R. 6448), H6342 [9JY]

———provide a nonrefundable credit for long-term care insurance premiums (see S. 3365), S7780 [30JY]

———provide for tax-favored retirement health savings accounts (see H.R. 6288), H5481 [17JN]

———provide recovery rebates to certain individuals receiving Social Security benefits (see H.R. 5172), H555 [29JA]

———provide recovery rebates to certain pension recipients (see H.R. 6609), H7164 [24JY]

———provide that elderly and disabled individuals receiving in-home care under certain government programs are not liable for employment taxes for the care providers (see H.R. 5703), H2011 [3AP]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (see H.R. 6242), H5327 [11JN]

Television: establish a Federal interagency task force to improve public awareness among older individuals and their families and caregivers about the impending digital television transition (see H. Con. Res. 339), H3018 [1MY]

Transportation: improve safety and convenience of street and highway transportation for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users as well as children, older individuals, and individuals with disabilities (see S. 2686), S1467 [3MR]

Veterans Health Administration: establish position of Director of Physical Therapy Service and a fellowship program for physical therapists in geriatrics, rehabilitation, and polytrauma care (see H.R. 6792), H7806 [1AU]

Volunteer workers: establish the Silver Scholarship program to encourage increased volunteer work by seniors (see H.R. 7026), H9084 [23SE]

Cloture motions

Medicare/Medicaid: extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), motion to proceed, S6224, S6231 [26JN], S6489 [9JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (S. 3101), motion to proceed, S5431 [10JN], S5564 [12JN]

E-mails

Gasoline price levels: Pat Taylor, Douglas-Cherokee Economic Authority, Inc., S5717 [18JN]

———Robin Lasseter, S6882 [17JY]

———several Tennessee citizens, S6805 [16JY], S7582, S7583 [29JY]

Letters

Healthy Americans Act: Peter R. Orszag, CBO and Edward K. Kleinbard, Committee on Taxation (Joint), S3660 [1MY]

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act: Peter R. Orszag, CBO, S5562 [12JN]

Medicare Telehealth Improvement Act: David A. Kakmia, Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards, S2439 [3AP]

———Jonathan D. Linkous, American Telemedicine Association, S2438 [3AP]

———Linda Rosenberg, National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, S2438 [3AP]

———several organizations, S2438 [3AP]

SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act: several organizations, H8301-H8303 [17SE]

Waive Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act requirements relative to action on legislation in response to a funding warning: Barbara B. Kennelly, National Committee To Preserve Social Security and Medicare, H7125 [24JY]

Lists

Organizations supporting H.R. 6331, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, S6142 [25JN], S6229 [26JN]

Messages

Veto of H.R. 6331, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act: President Bush, S6705 [15JY], H6520 [15JY]

Press releases

Medicare and Medical Liability Reform: Health Coalition on Liability and Access, H7127 [24JY]

Medicare Trigger Ignores Real Problem-Skyrocketing Health Care Costs: AARP, H7125 [24JY]

Remarks in House

AARP: anniversary (H. Res. 1464), H8524, H8525 [22SE]

Agriculture: hunger and nutrition programs funding, H1976 [3AP], E1033 [22MY]

Broward County, FL: tribute to Senior Hall of Fame Breakfast honorees, E946 [15MY]

Budget: allocation of funds, H1059-H1065 [26FE], H2428-H2434 [16AP], H3864-H3870 [14MY]

Butterfield, June W.: Experience Works, Inc., West Virginia Outstanding Older Worker Award recipient, E2320 [20NO]

Children and youth: establish kinship navigator programs and kinship guardianship assistance payments for children, H8315 [17SE]

———establish kinship navigator programs and kinship guardianship assistance payments for children (H.R. 2188), E1494 [17JY], E1774 [11SE]

Community service: provide grants to nonprofit organizations to encourage senior citizens to participate in educational activities, community, workforce and volunteerism, H1356 [6MR]

Corp. for National and Community Service: coordinate recruiting and assignment procedures to allow senior citizens and their grandchildren to share volunteer opportunities and/or be assigned to the same geographic areas, H1386 [6MR]

———coordinate with the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide opportunities for young people to collect oral histories from senior citizens, H1386, H1387 [6MR]

Cover the Uninsured Week: observance, H2865 [30AP], H3002, H3006 [1MY]

Crime: protect seniors from elder abuse by improving prosecution, law enforcement, and assistance to victims (H.R. 5352), H8519-H8522 [22SE], E2036 [27SE]

Dept. of HHS: expand and intensify research programs concerning elder falls (H.R. 3701), E1267 [18JN]

———expand and intensify research programs concerning elder falls (S. 845), H2034-H2036 [8AP], E546 [8AP]

Dept. of HUD: safeguard rights of tenants of HOPE VI housing from eviction based on the criminal activities of others, H323 [17JA]

Dept. of Justice: encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans throughout the U.S. (H.R. 6064), H8078-H8083 [15SE], H8368 [17SE], E2217 [3OC]

———provide grants to States and local governments for voluntary electronic monitoring services to help locate missing elderly individuals, H8083 [15SE]

———reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program (H.R. 6503), H8097, H8098 [15SE], H8368 [17SE], E2231 [3OC]

Diseases: increase Alzheimer's disease research funding, E1583 [29JY]

Economy: reform health care, Social Security, tax code for individuals and small businesses, and the budget process (H.R. 6110), H4329 [21MY]

Family and Medical Leave Act: allow employees to take additional leave, parental involvement leave for educational and extracurricular activities and clarify leave may be used for medical needs or to assist elderly relatives (H.R. 7233), E2164 [30SE]

Giffords, Representative: tribute to Senior and Aging Issues Advisory Council, E2289 [20NO]

Health: national policy to increase Federal commitment prioritizing disease prevention and public health (H. Res. 1381), H7171 [29JY], H8686-H8688 [23SE]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures, H10-H16 [15JA], H561, H597-H603 [6FE], H627 [7FE], H974-H977 [14FE], H2003-H2009 [3AP], H2140-H2145 [9AP], H3191 [8MY], H4868-H4874 [3JN], H6346 [10JY], H7961, H8000, H8001 [10SE], H8463-H8467 [18SE]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 676), H3002-H3006 [1MY], H5181-H5186 [10JN], H7132 [24JY], H10688 [2OC], E546 [8AP]

———provide affordable, guaranteed private health coverage, H8105 [15SE]

Health care facilities: ensure that private for-profit nursing homes affected by major disasters receive the same reimbursement as public nursing homes (H.R. 7054), E1913 [25SE]

———require that agreements to arbitrate nursing home disputes be made after the dispute has arisen (H.R. 6126), E1079 [23MY]

Hines, Jean: Experience Works Inc., Missouri Outstanding Older Worker Award recipient, E2070 [27SE]

Hospice of Napa Valley, Inc.: anniversary, E2307 [20NO]

Isakson, Senator: tribute to participation in the Thanks Mom & Dad Fund celebration, E1287 [19JN]

Johnson, Billie: Ohio Women's Hall of Fame inductee, E1858 [22SE]

Johnson, Edward R.: Experience Works, Inc., Arkansas Outstanding Older Worker Award recipient, E2029 [26SE]

King of Prussia, PA: tribute to Upper Merion Senior Service Center, E85 [28JA]

Lansdale, PA: tribute to Peak Center (organization), E294 [4MR]

Lemole, Gerald M.: Wilmington, DE, Senior Center Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, E2143 [28SE]

Lonning, Marian: Community Living (organization) Legacy Award recipient, E2158 [29SE]

Meals on Wheels Association of America: tribute, E609 [15AP]

———tribute (H. Res. 259), H2239-H2241 [14AP], E625 [16AP]

Medicare: eliminate disparities in breast cancer treatment through development of a uniform set of treatment performance measures for a quality reporting system and value-based purchasing system (H.R. 5901), E726 [24AP]

———establish Independence at Home Chronic Care Coordination Demonstration Project (H.R. 7114), E2071 [27SE]

———establish new, separate fee schedule areas for physicians' services in States with multiple fee schedule areas to improve physician geographic payment accuracy, H5914 [24JN]

———extend physician payment rates (H.R. 6129), H4868-H4874 [3JN]

———funding, H1653 [13MR]

———Medicare Advantage funding, H5908 [24JN]

———permit physical therapy services to be furnished to individuals under the care of a dentist (H.R. 5590), E351 [11MR]

———protect and preserve access of beneficiaries in rural areas to health care providers, H5914 [24JN], H6202 [8JY]

———provide coverage for consultations regarding orders for life sustaining treatment and provide grants for development and expansion of programs for such orders (H.R. 7181), E2136 [28SE]

———provide coverage for the shingles vaccine (H.R. 5877), E708 [23AP]

———provide for a disclosure requirement for physicians referring for imaging services (H.R. 6821), E1692 [1AU]

———reform the prescription drug program, H601 [6FE]

———replace the prescription drug benefit with a revised and simplified program for all beneficiaries (H.R. 6800), H10688 [2OC], E1695 [1AU]

———respond to a funding warning by introducing principles of value-based health care and reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system (H.R. 5480), H1210-H1212 [4MR], E228 [25FE]

———waive Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act requirements relative to action on legislation in response to a funding warning (H. Res. 1368), H7122-H7134 [24JY]

Medicare/Medicaid: extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6212), H5181 [10JN], H7132 [24JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), H5876-H5916 [24JN], H6013, H6015 [25JN], H6092, H6150 [26JN], H6235, H6237 [9JY], H6479 [15JY], H7127 [24JY], H10171 [27SE], E1346, E1352, E1354 [25JN], E1401 [8JY], E1417, E1419 [9JY], E1473, E1477 [16JY], E1490 [17JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), veto, H6494, H6521-H6531 [15JY], E1480 [16JY]

———improve transparency of information on nursing and skilled nursing facilities and clarify and improve enforcement of requirements on such facilities (H.R. 7128), E2100 [28SE]

Metzger, Bernice: Experience Works, Inc., Michigan Outstanding Older Worker Award recipient, E2064 [27SE]

Montgomery County, PA: tribute to Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, E501 [3AP]

National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse: anniversary, E418 [14MR]

National Falls Prevention Awareness Day: support goals and ideals (H. Res. 1478), E2000 [25SE]

National Grandparents Day: observance, E1774 [11SE]

National Save for Retirement Week: support goals and ideals (H. Res. 1294), H5932-H5934 [24JN], H6121 [26JN]

New York, NY: anniversary of Borinquen Plaza Senior Center, E1758 [10SE]

Olsen, Sherry Friedlander: Experience Works, Inc., Florida Outstanding Older Worker of the Year Award recipient, E2119 [28SE]

Pensions: suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans and temporarily waive penalty on withdrawals from such plans (H.R. 7278), H10915 [10DE]

Public welfare programs: extend SSI for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants and collect unemployment compensation debts resulting from fraud (H.R. 2608), Senate amendments, H8298-H8304 [17SE]

Real estate: prohibit home equity conversion mortgage lenders from requiring seniors to purchase annuities with reverse mortgages proceeds and provide other consumer protections to reverse mortgage borrowers, H3304 [8MY]

RSVP of Montgomery County, Inc.: anniversary, E1109 [3JN]

San Francisco, CA: anniversary of AlmaVia of San Francisco (assisted living community), E2050 [27SE]

Senior Citizens League (organization): tribute to board of trustees, E483 [2AP]

Social Security: budget treatment of trust funds, H1061 [26FE]

———extend provisions under Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S. 2499), H395, H398, H400, H401, H404, H405 [23JA]

———prohibit the display of account numbers on Medicare cards (H.R. 6600), H10200-H10202 [27SE], H10631 [29SE]

———protect seniors from identity theft and strengthen our national security by providing for the issuance of a secure Social Security card (H.R. 5405), H926 [13FE], E179 [13FE]

———reform, H1893 [2AP]

———repeal Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions (H.R. 82), E800 [1MY]

———repeal the windfall elimination provision and protect the retirement of public servants (H.R. 2772), E800 [1MY]

Spokane, WA: anniversary of Sinto Senior Activity Center, E1821 [17SE]

Stanberry, MO: anniversary of Pine View Manor, E2011 [26SE]

Taxation: allow a deduction for long-term care insurance premiums, use of such insurance under cafeteria and flexible spending plans, and a credit for individuals with long-term care needs (H.R. 5559), E433 [14MR]

———include senior citizens and disabled veterans in the provision of recovery rebates to individuals, H791 [7FE]

———increase standard charitable mileage rate for delivery of meals to elderly, disabled, frail, and at-risk individuals (H.R. 6675), H9873 [25SE]

———provide for tax-favored retirement health savings accounts (H.R. 6288), E1270 [18JN]

Taylorsville, NC: tribute to VFW community service in support of soldiers stationed in Iraq, E452 [31MR]

Woodbridge, VA: anniversary of Lake Ridge Fellowship House, E1160 [5JN]

Remarks in Senate

AARP: anniversary, S2972 [14AP]

———anniversary (S. Res. 666), S9039 [18SE], S9876 [26SE]

Benjamin Rose Institute: anniversary, S9403 [24SE]

Budget: allocation of funds, S1409-S1411 [29FE], S1459 [3MR], S1492-S1495, S1509 [4MR], S1550, S1553, S1554, S1563, S1566, S1591 [5MR], S5578 [12JN]

Bush, President: evaluation of economic policies, S630 [5FE], S1791 [10MR]

Children and youth: establish kinship navigator programs and kinship guardianship assistance payments for children (S. 661), S4175 [14MY]

Community service: establish Encore Service programs, Encore Fellowship programs, and Silver Scholarship programs (S. 3480), S8416 [11SE]

Cover the Uninsured Week: observance, S3462 [29AP]

Crime: ensure adequate public-private infrastructure and resolve to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation (S. 1070), S4430-S4432 [20MY]

Dept. of Agriculture: Commodity Supplemental Food Program funding, S637 [5FE]

Dept. of HHS: establish a small house nursing home loan program (S. 3732), S10947 [11DE]

Dept. of HUD: expand supply of affordable housing with supportive services for the elderly (S. 2736), S1814 [10MR]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: modify authorities to accept new applications for State home construction projects grants and authorize facility construction grants for non-institutional care programs (S. 1441), S9381 [24SE]

Diseases: fund breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease research while providing more help to caregivers and increasing public education about prevention (S. 898), S7855 [31JY]

Employment: improve employability (S. 2933), S3510 [29AP]

Health: national policy to provide health care, control costs, and enhance the quality of the health care system, S2811 [9AP], S4126, S4127 [14MY]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures, S530-S532 [31JA], S628 [5FE], S1220, S1221, S1261-S1264 [27FE], S2328 [2AP], S2792-S2794 [9AP], S3074 [16AP], S3116 [17AP], S3378-S3380 [24AP], S4757 [22MY], S5585 [12JN], S5729 [18JN], S6860 [16JY], S6911-S6914 [17JY], S9011 [18SE], S10636 [19NO], S10698-S10700 [20NO]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (S. 1783), S1158 [26FE], S2426 [3AP], S3417-S3420 [28AP], S9636 [26SE]

———provide affordable, guaranteed private health coverage (S. 334), S1043 [14FE], S3660-S3662 [1MY], S4301 [19MY], S5506-S5509 [11JN], S6347, S6348 [7JY], S6431 [8JY], S6902 [17JY], S7996-S7998 [1AU], S9373-S9378 [24SE], S9479 [25SE]

Health care facilities: require that agreements to arbitrate nursing home disputes be made after the dispute has arisen (S. 2838), S2819, S2820 [9AP]

Health care professionals: expand, train, and support all sectors of the health care workforce to care for the growing population of older individuals (S. 3730), S10882 [10DE]

Hurricanes: provide additional funding for affordable housing for low-income seniors, disabled persons, and others who lost their homes as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (S. 2975), S3744-S3746 [2MY]

Investments: protect from misleading and fraudulent marketing practices by senior financial advisors who have misleading designations (S. 2794), S2297 [1AP]

Jefferson County, CO: anniversary of Seniors' Resource Center, S3440 [28AP]

Johnson, Doris J.: Experience Works, Inc., Outstanding Senior Community Service Employment Program Changing Lives Award recipient, S9648 [26SE]

Johnson, Edward R.: Experience Works, Inc., Arkansas Outstanding Older Worker Award recipient, S9648 [26SE]

LIHEAP: funding, S59, S60 [22JA]

Medicaid: improve the State plan amendment option for providing home and community-based services (S. 3327), S7291-S7299 [24JY]

Medicare: enhance beneficiary protections under parts C and D (S. 2687), S5555 [12JN]

———ensure competitive pricing among Medicare Advantage plans, S4780 [22MY]

———establish a hospice care demonstration program and grants programs for cancer palliative care and symptom management programs (S. 2790), S2234 [31MR]

———establish Independence at Home Chronic Care Coordination Demonstration Project (S. 3613), S9676 [26SE]

———execution of durable power of attorney to give doctors the authority to make appropriate end-of-life medical decisions, S3379 [24AP]

———exempt complex rehabilitation and assistive technology products from competitive acquisition program (S. 2931), S3510 [29AP]

———expand part B income test provisions to the part D prescription drug benefit requiring wealthy beneficiaries to pay a greater share of the premium, S1972 [12MR], S2055 [13MR], S5547 [12JN]

———extend eligibility period for ``Welcome to Medicare'' physical examination and provide for the coverage and waiver of cost-sharing for preventive services, S5557 [12JN]

———impact of physician reimbursement rates on TRICARE program, S6476 [9JY]

———implementation of Competitive Acquisition Program, S10618 [19NO]

———improve access of beneficiaries to immune globulins (S. 2990), S3900 [7MY]

———improve access to health care for beneficiaries in rural areas (S. 2786), S2159 [13MR]

———improve fairness and reduce regional inequities in reimbursement payments to providers, S6311 [27JN]

———improve patient access to, and utilization of, the colorectal cancer screening benefit, S5557 [12JN]

———improve provision of telehealth services (S. 2812), S2437-S2439 [3AP]

———preserve access to physicians' services (S. 2785), S5515 [11JN]

———protect and preserve access of beneficiaries in rural areas to health care providers, S5569 [12JN]

———protect and preserve access of beneficiaries in rural areas to health care providers (S. 1605), S5561 [12JN]

———protect beneficiaries' access to home health services, S6485, S6486 [9JY]

———provide coverage of federally recommended vaccines (S. 2464), S5708 [18JN]

———provide for a disclosure requirement for physicians referring for imaging services (S. 3343), S7531 [26JY]

———provide for consolidated coverage of home infusion drug therapy (S. 3505), S8951 [17SE]

———reduce fraud (S. 3164), S5836 [19JN]

———reduce inequitable disparities in physician payments in rural areas and revise the practice expense geographic adjustment (S. 3318), S7156 [23JY]

———reform, S2211 [31MR]

———reform Medicare Advantage Program, S6478 [9JY]

———respond to a funding warning by introducing principles of value-based health care and reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system (S. 2662), S1127 [25FE]

———revise timeframe for recognition of certain designations in certifying rural health clinics, S9478 [25SE]

———revise timeframe for recognition of certain designations in certifying rural health clinics (S. 3367), S7785 [30JY]

Medicare/Medicaid: establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund for the expansion of background check pilot program for nursing facility and other long-term care facility employees, S1991 [12MR], S2061 [13MR]

———extend expiring provisions (S. 3236), S6510 [9JY], S6583 [11JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), S6004, S6006 [24JN], S6097, S6142, S6143 [25JN], S6212 [26JN], S6713 [15JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), motion to proceed, S6183, S6200-S6202, S6219, S6220, S6222, S6225-S6231 [26JN], S6310, S6311 [27JN], S6349 [7JY], S6378, S6379, S6420-S6424 [8JY], S6476-S6490, S6494 [9JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), unanimous-consent agreement, S6223 [26JN]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), unanimous-consent request, S6232-S6234 [26JN]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), veto, S6698, S6702, S6705-S6710 [15JY]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (S. 3101), S5376 [6JN], S5377 [9JN], S6320 [27JN]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (S. 3101), motion to proceed, S5467, S5506-S5509, S5512, S5514-S5516, S5530 [11JN], S5539, S5546-S5551, S5553-S5564, S5576-S5578 [12JN]

———extend expiring provisions to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (S. 3101), unanimous-consent request, S5431 [10JN], S5710 [18JN], S5794 [19JN]

———extend provisions to improve access to preventive and mental health services, enhance low-income benefit programs, and maintain access to care in rural areas (H.R. 6331), unanimous-consent agreement, S6451 [9JY]

———improve transparency of information on nursing and skilled nursing facilities and clarify and improve enforcement of requirements on such facilities (S. 2641), S1058, S1059 [14FE], S7145 [23JY]

———preserve access to health care (S. 3656), S10456-S10458 [2OC]

———preserve access to health care (S. 3656), unanimous-consent request, S10623-S10625 [19NO]

———prevent physician fee schedule reduction, advance value based purchasing, electronic health records, and electronic prescribing, maintain and improve care access in rural areas (S. 3118), unanimous-consent request, S5710 [18JN], S6420-S6424 [8JY]

———prevent reduction in physician fee schedule, advance value based purchasing, electronic health records, and electronic prescribing, and maintain and improve access to care in rural areas (S. 3118), S5526, S5530 [11JN], S5535, S5546-S5548, S5550, S5554, S5560, S5562, S5569, S5577 [12JN]

———require background checks for nursing facility and other long-term care facility employees (S. 1577), S10466 [2OC]

National Assisted Living Week: designate (S. Res. 652), S9179 [22SE]

National Eye Donor Month: observance, S1994 [12MR]

National Falls Prevention Awareness Day: support goals and ideals (S. Res. 674), S9179, S9215 [22SE]

National Save for Retirement Week: designate (S. Res. 601), unanimous-consent agreement, S9164 [18SE]

Older Americans Month: observance, S4431 [20MY]

Pensions: suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans (S. 3719), S10813 [8DE]

———suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans (S. 3720), S10814 [8DE]

Political campaigns: assessment of Presidential candidates' tax proposals, S8925-S8928 [17SE], S9564-S9567 [26SE], S10135-S10140 [30SE], S10298 [1OC]

Public welfare programs: extend SSI for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants and collect unemployment compensation debts resulting from fraud (H.R. 2608), S8003, S8004 [1AU]

Real estate: prohibit home equity conversion mortgage lenders from requiring seniors to purchase annuities with reverse mortgages proceeds and provide other consumer protections to reverse mortgage borrowers, S2417 [3AP]

Social Security: combat waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program, S1989 [12MR]

———establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund for reform, S2057 [13MR]

———extend provisions under Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, S1981-S1983 [12MR]

———privatization proposals, S2972 [14AP], S8928 [17SE]

———promote tobacco use cessation under Medicare, Medicaid, and the maternal and child health program (S. 3206), S6290 [26JN]

———protect cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) (S. 2501), S598 [4FE]

———provide grants to eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals (S. 3053), S4796 [22MY]

———provide increased civil and criminal penalties for acts involving fraud and abuse under the Medicare system, S1026 [14FE]

———reform, S1229-S1232 [27FE], S2211 [31MR]

Taxation: include senior citizens and disabled veterans in the provision of recovery rebates to individuals, S509, S511, S532-S535 [31JA], S580-S585, S589, S593, S596 [4FE], S616, S619, S627, S631, S633, S635 [5FE], S679-S681, S716-S725 [6FE], S755, S767-S769, S771, S772 [7FE]

———increase rate for top income tax brackets to provide funding for education and low-income individuals and families, S1950, S1952 [12MR], S2056, S2091 [13MR]

———lower income tax rates, provide estate tax relief, permanently extend certain education-related tax deductions and dividend and capital gain tax rate reductions, and protect retirement income, S1855 [11MR], S2041, S2093 [13MR]

———rates, S5731 [18JN], S8356-S8361 [11SE], S8474 [12SE]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits, S1857 [11MR], S1932, S1939 [12MR], S2045, S2046 [13MR]

Reports filed

Civil Service Retirement System Annuities Computation Clarification Based on Part-Time Service: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (House) (H.R. 2780) (H. Rept. 110-770), H7163 [24JY]

Dept. of Justice Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization: Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 6503) (H. Rept. 110-846), H8126 [15SE]

Elder Abuse Victims Act: Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 5352) (H. Rept. 110-864), H8577 [22SE]

Elder Justice Act: Committee on Finance (Senate) (S. 1070) (S. Rept. 110-470), S9025 [18SE]

Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act: Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 6126) (H. Rept. 110-894), H10129 [26SE]

———Committee on the Judiciary (Senate) (S. 2838) (S. Rept. 110-518), S10323 [1OC]

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Indian Health Care Improvement Act: Committee on Finance (Senate) (S. 2532) (S. Rept. 110-255), S93 [22JA]

National Silver Alert Act: Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 6064) (H. Rept. 110-825), H7852 [8SE]

Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act: Committee on Finance (Senate) (S. 1577) (S. Rept. 110-474), S9203 [22SE]

Recognition of Excellence in Aging Research Committee Report: Committee on Aging (Senate, Special) (S. Rept. 110-527), S10880 [10DE]

Safety of Seniors Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 3701) (H. Rept. 110-569), H2068 [8AP]

Waive Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act Requirements Relative to Action on Legislation in Response to a Medicare Funding Warning: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 1368) (H. Rept. 110-769), H7057 [23JY]

Summaries

Medicare Rural Health Access Improvement Act, S2161-S2163 [13MR]

Tables

Total deficit impact of Obama and McCain tax and spending proposals, S10298 [1OC]

Testimonies

Two Years After the Storm—Housing Needs in the Gulf Coast: Alan Brown, Mississippi Methodist Senior Services (organization), S3747 [2MY]

Texts of

H. Res. 259, tribute to Meals on Wheels Association of America, H2239 [14AP]

H. Res. 1294, support goals and ideals of National Save for Retirement Week, H5932 [24JN]

H. Res. 1368, waive Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act requirements relative to action on legislation in response to a Medicare funding warning, H7122 [24JY]

H. Res. 1381, national policy to increase Federal commitment prioritizing disease prevention and public health, H8686 [23SE]

H. Res. 1464, AARP anniversary, H8524 [22SE]

H.R. 2608, SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act, H8298 [17SE]

H.R. 5352, Elder Abuse Victims Act, H8519-H8521 [22SE]

H.R. 6064, National Silver Alert Act, H8078-H8080 [15SE]

H.R. 6331, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, H5876-H5904 [24JN]

H.R. 6503, Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program reauthorization, H8097 [15SE]

H.R. 6600, Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act, H10200 [27SE]

S. 845, Safety of Seniors Act, H2034 [8AP]

S. 2790, Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act, S2234-S2236 [31MR]

S. 2933, Incentives for Older Workers Act, S3511 [29AP]

S. 2975, Gulf Coast Multifamily and Assisted Housing Recovery Act, S3746 [2MY]

S. 2990, Medicare IVIG Access Act, S3901 [7MY]

S. 3053, provide grants to eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals, S4796 [22MY]

S. 3206, Medicare, Medicaid, and MCH Tobacco Cessation Promotion Act, S6291 [26JN]

S. 3236, Medicare and Medicaid Extension Act, S6506-S6509 [9JY]

S. 3318, Medicare Physician Payment Equity Act, S7157 [23JY]

S. 3327, Empowered at Home Act, S7292-S7298 [24JY]

S. 3367, revise timeframe for recognition of certain designations in certifying rural health clinics, S7786 [30JY]

S. 3613, Independence at Home Act, S9676-S9680 [26SE]

S. 3719, Retirement Account Distribution Improvement Act, S10813 [8DE]

S. 3732, Promoting Small House Nursing Homes Act, S10948 [11DE]

S. Res. 543, National Nursing Home Week, S3600 [30AP]

S. Res. 601, National Save for Retirement Week, S6169 [25JN], S9165 [18SE]

S. Res. 652, National Assisted Living Week, S8186 [9SE], S9181 [22SE]

S. Res. 666, AARP anniversary, S9039 [18SE], S9876 [26SE]

S. Res. 674, support goals and ideals of National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, S9185, S9214 [22SE]