III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 172 

Designating May 2017 as ‘‘Older Americans Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 18, 2017 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. NELSON, Mr. RUBIO, 

Ms. WARREN, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. BURR, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mr. WHITEHOUSE) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating May 2017 as ‘‘Older Americans Month’’. 

Whereas President John F. Kennedy first designated May as 

‘‘Senior Citizens Month’’ in 1963; 

Whereas, in 1963, only approximately 17,000,000 individuals 

living in the United States were age 65 or older, approximately 1⁄3 of those individuals lived in poverty, and few 

programs existed to meet the needs of older individuals 

in the United States; 

Whereas, in 2017, there are more than 47,800,000 individuals age 65 or older in the United States, and those individuals account for 14.9 percent of the total population 

of the United States; 


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•SRES 172 ATS 

Whereas approximately 10,000 individuals in the United 

States turn age 65 each day; 

Whereas, in 2015, more than 9,300,000 veterans of the 

Armed Forces were age 65 or older; 

Whereas older individuals in the United States rely on Federal programs, such as programs under the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) (including the Medicare 

program under title XVIII of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 

et seq.) and the Medicaid program under title XIX of 

that Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.)), for financial security 

and high-quality affordable health care; 

Whereas the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 

et seq.) provides supportive services to help individuals of 

the United States who are age 60 or older maintain maximum independence in the homes and communities of 

those individuals; 

Whereas that Act provides funding for programs, including 

nutrition services, transportation, and care management, 

to assist more than 11,000,000 older individuals in the 

United States each year; 

Whereas compared to older individuals in the United States 

in past generations, older individuals in the United States 

in 2017 are working longer, living longer, and enjoying 

healthier, more active, and more independent lifestyles; 

Whereas more than 5,300,000 individuals in the United 

States age 65 or older continue to work as full-time, 

year-round employees; 

Whereas older individuals in the United States play an important role in society by continuing to contribute their 

experience, knowledge, wisdom, and accomplishments; 


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•SRES 172 ATS 

Whereas older individuals in the United States play vital 

roles in their communities and remain involved in volunteer work, mentoring activities, the arts, cultural activities, and civic engagement; and 

Whereas a society that recognizes the success of older individuals and continues to enhance their access to quality and 

affordable health care will encourage the ongoing participation and heightened independence of those individuals 

and will ensure the continued safety and well-being of 

those individuals: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates May 2017 as ‘‘Older Americans 

3 Month’’; and 

4 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

5 to provide opportunities for older individuals to con6 tinue to flourish by— 

7 (A) emphasizing the importance and lead8 ership of older individuals through public rec9 ognition of the ongoing achievements of the 

10 older individuals; 

11 (B) presenting opportunities for older indi12 viduals to share their wisdom, experience, and 

13 skills with younger generations; and 

14 (C) recognizing older individuals as valu15 able assets in strengthening communities across 

16 the United States. 

Æ 


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