Political Quotes

“I have heard from many seniors, the Center for Social Gerontology in Ann Arbor, and Michigan's Area Agencies on Aging and senior centers about the need for reauthorizing the Older Americans Act, which was last reauthorized in 2000. While the reauthorization of the OAA is a positive step for America's seniors, funding for Federal seniors services has failed to keep place with inflation and an aging population. I am also pleased that the OAA reauthorization will contain the core elements of S. 409, the Federal Youth Coordination Act, which I cosponsored with Senator Norm Coleman. I was also pleased to work with Congressman Tom Osbourne on pushing this legislation forward. I thank Chairman Enzi and Senators Kennedy and Mikulski and their staff for including this important piece of legislation in the OAA reauthorization. In 2003, the White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth report identified numerous programs in 12 different Federal agencies that serve or relate to disadvantaged youth. But the task force could not determine precisely how much funding directly impact our young people because there is no uniform, focused Federal youth policy. The task force recommended the establishment of a coordinating body to facilitate the evaluation, coordination, and improvement of Federal programs serving youth. In response, our legislation creates a 2-year coordinated council to evaluate, coordinate, and improve Federal youth programs.”