[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 28 (Monday, July 17, 1995)]
[Page 1241]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the 30th Anniversary of the Older Americans Act

July 14, 1995

    Today I am pleased to mark the 30th anniversary of the Older 
Americans Act, an act which has allowed millions of elderly Americans to 
live with dignity, safety, and independence.
    When President Johnson signed this bill into law 30 years ago, he 
characterized the best intentions of a Nation when he said:
    ``The Older Americans Act clearly affirms our Nation's sense of 
responsibility toward the well-being of all of our older citizens. But 
even more, the results of this act will help us to expand our 
opportunities for enriching the lives of all of our citizens in this 
country, now and in the years to come.''
    Indeed, we should be proud of our Nation's compact with older 
Americans and the public private partnership that is embodied in the 
Older Americans Act. This compact has included community-based services 
such as Meals on Wheels, transportation, ombudsman services, and other 
efforts to prevent abuse of the elderly.
    As the Congress considers reauthorization of the Older Americans Act 
this year, my administration is committed to keeping the act whole and 
preserving the core principles which have guided its success--grassroots 
support, citizen input, bottom-up planning, and coordination of 
services. Programs like the Title V Senior Community Service Employment 
Program have been instrumental in helping us all benefit from the 
accumulated experience and judgment of older Americans. I will fight to 
keep these programs strong and to maintain the active role of the 
national aging network in assisting elderly Americans.
    While we commemorate an important anniversary today, every American 
should be proud that we have greatly improved the way our people live 
their lives as they grow older, providing new hope for entire lifetimes 
of purpose and dignity. We must remember that with this kind of 
opportunity in a democracy goes continued responsibility. Our job today 
is to preserve this progress not only for our current seniors in their 
lifetimes but for all generations of Americans to come.