Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, last week we celebrated the 45th anniversary of the adoption of the Older Americans Act. Later this month we will celebrate the 45th anniversary of Medicare and next month the 75th anniversary of Social Security. Seniors are vital to our communities, having spent a lifetime building and shaping this Nation. Increasingly, our seniors have been able to continue to make important contributions throughout all of their lives, volunteering their time, mentoring our youth, and often remaining active in the workforce. As a former Chairman of Fairfax County, Virginia, I was proud of the work I helped lead in the creation of a 50+Plus Action Plan outlining more than 60 initiatives to support our senior population. We expanded transportation opportunities, ensured communities were planned to provide housing options for all ages, pursued respite options for caregivers. And it was necessary to bring that focus to Washington. This Congress has made strategic investments to assist these efforts through actions such as the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act that expanded opportunities for seniors to remain active. But it wasn't always this way, which is why we needed the Older Americans Act. The Older Americans Act facilitates the provisions of necessary social services and nutritional support to seniors through a partnership with various State agencies.…”