Political Quotes

“I am pleased to speak today as a supporter of the amendment of my friend from Maryland. Her proposal would remove the Senior Community Service Employment Program, or title V, from this bill. This amendment is important for several reasons: First, the Title V Program is not job training and should not be considered as part of this block grant; second, it fills an important role within the Older Americans Act; and third, it effectively serves a population that is difficult to reach with traditional job training programs. The State of Michigan has had a long and successful relationship with this program. Thousands of people participate in it each year. These individuals work in hundreds of different occupations. The unifying factor in all this work is that older workers are contributing to their communities. In most cases, they are coming out of retirement to reenter the labor force. I have received hundreds of constituent letters asking me to support this provision. In explaining their involvement with the Title V Program, almost all the participants mention 'giving something back to the community.' It is imperative that Congress capitalize on this feeling. Now more than ever we need to hold onto and support our sense of communities and this can be done by following the examples set by our elders. In many communities, title V programs provide the link between senior citizens and the younger generations.”