NEWS: Sanders, Cassidy Applaud Senate Advancement of Bipartisan Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act

WASHINGTON, July 15 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) applaud the Senate unanimously passing the Older Americans Act (OAA), a critically important law that provides services supporting the health, independence and dignity of older adults across the nation. The bill’s reauthorization effort was also led by Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). “I’m delighted that the Senate unanimously passed legislation last night to expand and improve the Older Americans Act,” Sanders said. “This legislation begins to pay attention to the urgent unmet needs of seniors in America and what we should do as a nation to reduce the senior poverty rate, prevent hunger, combat loneliness and isolation and improve the health and well-being of some of the most vulnerable people in our country. Not only does the Older Americans Act save lives and ease human suffering, it saves money. In fact, it costs less to feed a senior for an entire year through the Older Americans Act than it does for a senior to spend one night in a hospital. While there is much more that we must do to reduce the senior poverty rate in America and to make sure that every senior in America has access to the services they need this bi-partisan legislation is a very good step forward.” “The Older Americans Act helps Americans remain independent and connected to the communities they helped build. For more than 60 years, the Older Americans Act has connected seniors with services that help them age with dignity,” Cassidy said. “This bipartisan reauthorization ensures that support continues as the nation’s aging population grows.” The OAA, first signed into law in 1965, funds a wide range of services. The act has provided vital nutrition, social, economic and health services to millions of older adults for over six decades. Last reauthorized in 2020, OAA expired in the 118th congress. The previous OAA reauthorization effort, also lead by Sanders and Cassidy, passed the Senate unanimously in 2024 but did not pass the House. The bipartisan reauthorization of the Older American Act marks a major step forward in strengthening the nation’s commitment to older adults. The legislation expands critical nutrition, health and community-based services at a time when millions of older adults are facing growing unmet needs. It would reauthorize OAA programs through fiscal year 2030 and make improvements to better support family caregivers and direct care workers, Tribal seniors and those with disabilities in their communities.