On the recordSeptember 19, 2012
I would like to associate myself with the remarks of the Senator from Vermont. I am one of the cosponsors of the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, and before I talk about a bill I have just introduced, I would like to underscore the fact that the Older Americans Act was introduced in 1965, and it allows seniors to stay in their homes and also saves money. It costs $6 a day to do Meals on Wheels per senior. This allows a senior to stay in their home and not go to a nursing home. We know what a nursing home costs every day. So this is an example of common sense. Seniors want to stay in their homes if they can. I have been with the Presiding Officer, my colleague from the State of Minnesota, doing roundtables on the Older Americans Act. It is a great program that we need to reauthorize in order to do really a commonsense thing, which is allow seniors to stay where they want to stay--in their homes--and at the same time not have them spending the kind of money they would be spending in a nursing home or in that kind of facility. So I commend the Senator from Vermont. ______ By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Landrieu, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mrs. Boxer): S. 3567. A bill to establish the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
