II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4613 

To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish the Office of 

LGBTQI Inclusion and a rural outreach grant program, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 20, 2024 

Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. PADILLA, and Ms. 

BALDWIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish 

the Office of LGBTQI Inclusion and a rural outreach 

grant program, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Elder Pride Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 102 of the Older Ameri7 cans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3002) is amended— 

8 (1) in paragraph (24)— 


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1 (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

2 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

3 (B) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking 

4 the period and inserting a semicolon; and 

5 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(D) status as an LGBTQI individual; and 

7 ‘‘(E) status as an individual with HIV.’’; 

8 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (26) through 

9 (33), paragraphs (34) and (35), and paragraphs 

10 (36) through (56) as paragraphs (27) through (34), 

11 paragraphs (36) and (37), and paragraphs (39) 

12 through (59), respectively; 

13 (3) by inserting after paragraph (25) the fol14 lowing: 

15 ‘‘(26) The term ‘HIV’ means human immuno16 deficiency virus.’’; 

17 (4) by inserting after paragraph (34) (as so re18 designated) the following: 

19 ‘‘(35) The term ‘LGBTQI’ means lesbian, gay, 

20 bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex.’’; 

21 (5) by inserting after paragraph (37) (as so re22 designated) the following: 

23 ‘‘(38) The term ‘minority’, with respect to an 

24 individual, includes a lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

25 transgender, queer, or intersex individual.’’. 


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1 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

2 215(e)(1)(J) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 

3 U.S.C. 3020e–1(e)(1)(J)) is amended by striking ‘‘minori4 ties’’ and inserting ‘‘minority individuals’’. 

5 SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION ON AGING. 

6 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF ADMINISTRATION; OFFICE

7 OF LGBTQI INCLUSION.—Section 201 of the Older 

8 Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3011) is amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (d)(3)(J), by inserting before 

10 the semicolon the following: ‘‘, including the effec11 tiveness of such services in meeting the needs of 

12 LGBTQI older individuals’’; and 

13 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(h)(1) There is established in the Administration an 

15 Office of LGBTQI Inclusion (referred to in this subsection 

16 as the ‘Office’). 

17 ‘‘(2)(A) The Office shall be headed by a Director of 

18 LGBTQI Inclusion (referred to in this subsection as the 

19 ‘Director’), who shall be appointed by the Secretary. 

20 ‘‘(B) The Office shall include an Assistant Director 

21 of LGBTQI Policy (referred to in this subsection as the 

22 ‘Assistant Director’) who shall be appointed by the Direc23 tor to assist the Director in carrying out this subsection, 

24 including by carrying out the activities under paragraph 

25 (4). 


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1 ‘‘(3) The Director shall— 

2 ‘‘(A) coordinate activities within the Depart3 ment of Health and Human Services, and between 

4 other Federal departments and agencies, to assure a 

5 continuum of improved services for LGBTQI older 

6 individuals; 

7 ‘‘(B) promote access to aging services and sup8 ports for LGBTQI older individuals; 

9 ‘‘(C) collect and disseminate information related 

10 to the challenges experienced by LGBTQI older indi11 viduals; and 

12 ‘‘(D) administer and evaluate grants that will 

13 expand access to aging services and supports for 

14 LGBTQI older individuals. 

15 ‘‘(4) The Assistant Director shall— 

16 ‘‘(A) serve as the effective and visible advocate 

17 on behalf of LGBTQI older individuals— 

18 ‘‘(i) within the Department of Health and 

19 Human Services and with other departments 

20 and agencies of the Federal Government re21 garding all Federal policies affecting such indi22 viduals; and 

23 ‘‘(ii) in the States to promote the enhanced 

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1 grams, under this Act and other Federal Acts, 

2 for the benefit of such individuals; 

3 ‘‘(B) support, conduct, and arrange for re4 search in the field of LGBTQI aging with a special 

5 emphasis on gathering statistics on LGBTQI older 

6 individuals; 

7 ‘‘(C) collect and disseminate information related 

8 to challenges experienced by LGBTQI older individ9 uals; and 

10 ‘‘(D) recommend policies and priorities bene11 ficial to LGBTQI older individuals and promote the 

12 implementation and adoption of culturally competent 

13 care and services for such individuals. 

14 ‘‘(5) Not later than 5 years after the date of enact15 ment of the Elder Pride Act, and every 5 years thereafter, 

16 the Director shall submit to Congress a report describing 

17 the activities carried out under this subsection during the 

18 preceding 5 years.’’. 

19 SEC. 4. RURAL OUTREACH GRANT PROGRAM. 

20 Part A of title IV of the Older Americans Act of 1965 

21 (42 U.S.C. 3032 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

22 the following: 

23 ‘‘SEC. 423. RURAL OUTREACH GRANT PROGRAM. 

24 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 ‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en2 tity’ means— 

3 ‘‘(A) a State; 

4 ‘‘(B) an Indian tribe or tribal organization; 

5 or 

6 ‘‘(C) an agency, nonprofit organization, or 

7 institution (including an area agency on aging, 

8 or a multipurpose senior center, in a rural area) 

9 that— 

10 ‘‘(i) focuses on serving the needs of 

11 older individuals, LGBTQI individuals, 

12 LGBTQI older individuals, or individuals 

13 of another protected class; or 

14 ‘‘(ii) focuses on providing sexual 

15 health services to all older individuals, in16 cluding services for older individuals with 

17 HIV. 

18 ‘‘(2) PROTECTED CLASS.—The term ‘protected 

19 class’ means a group of individuals sharing a com20 mon characteristic or identity who are legally pro21 tected against discrimination. 

22 ‘‘(3) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘rural area’ 

23 means an area that is not designated by the United 

24 States Census Bureau as an urbanized area or 

25 urban cluster. 


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1 ‘‘(b) AUTHORITY FOR GRANTS.—The Assistant Sec2 retary, acting through the Director of LGBTQI Inclusion, 

3 may make grants to eligible entities to carry out activities 

4 described in subsection (d) that are designed— 

5 ‘‘(1) to create a cooperative and lasting part6 nership between— 

7 ‘‘(A) LGBTQI older individuals, or older 

8 individuals of a protected class, residing in 

9 rural areas; and 

10 ‘‘(B) the eligible entity receiving the grant; 

11 ‘‘(2) to meet the needs of the individuals de12 scribed in paragraph (1)(A); and 

13 ‘‘(3) to provide comprehensive sexual health 

14 services to all older individuals residing in the rural 

15 areas served by the grant. 

16 ‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity seeking a 

18 grant under this section shall submit an application 

19 to the Assistant Secretary at such time, in such 

20 manner, and containing such information as the As21 sistant Secretary may reasonably require, including 

22 the contents described in paragraph (2). 

23 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—An application for a grant 

24 under this section shall contain— 


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1 ‘‘(A) a description of the proposed activi2 ties to be supported by the grant; 

3 ‘‘(B) a description of the size and charac4 teristics of the population in the rural area to 

5 be served by such proposed activities; 

6 ‘‘(C) a description of the public and private 

7 resources expected to be made available in con8 nection with such activities; 

9 ‘‘(D) a demonstrated intent to partner 

10 with local organizations in rural areas in car11 rying out such activities; 

12 ‘‘(E) evidence in a form acceptable to the 

13 Assistant Secretary that such activities will 

14 meet urgent needs that are not met by available 

15 public and private sources; and 

16 ‘‘(F) such other information or certifi17 cations that the Assistant Secretary determines 

18 necessary to achieve the purposes described in 

19 paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b). 

20 ‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity may use 

21 funds made available by a grant under this section to 

22 carry out activities that include initiatives that— 

23 ‘‘(1) engage in education and training relating 

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1 uals, or older individuals of a protected class, resid2 ing in rural areas; 

3 ‘‘(2) reduce isolation and improve access to care 

4 for LGBTQI older individuals, or older individuals 

5 of a protected class, residing in rural areas by build6 ing relationships between such individuals and the 

7 local community; 

8 ‘‘(3) foster relationships between local service 

9 providers and LGBTQI older individuals, or older 

10 individuals of a protected class, residing in rural 

11 areas; 

12 ‘‘(4) improve cultural competency with respect 

13 to LGBTQI individuals, and older individuals of a 

14 protected class, among organizations and personnel 

15 providing services to older individuals residing in 

16 rural areas; 

17 ‘‘(5) expand the use of nondiscrimination poli18 cies that— 

19 ‘‘(A) prohibit discrimination on the basis 

20 of sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex 

21 characteristics (including intersex traits); and 

22 ‘‘(B) create community spaces that are in23 clusive to LGBTQI older individuals and older 

24 individuals of a protected class; and 


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1 ‘‘(6) focus on providing sexual health services to 

2 older individuals residing in rural areas, including 

3 services for older individuals with HIV. 

4 ‘‘(e) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—As a condition 

5 of receiving funds under this section, an eligible entity 

6 shall agree to use such funds only to supplement the level 

7 of State or local funds that would, in the absence of the 

8 receipt of funds under this section, be made available for 

9 related LGBTQI services. 

10 ‘‘(f) STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES.—The Assistant 

11 Secretary shall establish standards and guidelines for ac12 tivities supported by grants under this section. Such 

13 standards and guidelines shall permit an eligible entity re14 ceiving such grant to refine or adapt the standards and 

15 guidelines for an individual project if the refinement or 

16 adaptation is made necessary by a local circumstance. 

17 ‘‘(g) COORDINATION WITH LOCAL ENTITIES.— 

18 ‘‘(1) COOPERATION.—An eligible entity that re19 ceives a grant under this section shall, in carrying 

20 out activities supported by the grant, agree to co21 operate and coordinate with— 

22 ‘‘(A) the agencies of the relevant State and 

23 local governments responsible for providing 

24 services to LGBTQI older individuals, or older 


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1 individuals of a protected class, in the area 

2 served by such activities; and 

3 ‘‘(B) other public and private organizations 

4 and agencies providing services to LGBTQI 

5 older individuals, or older individuals of a pro6 tected class, in such area. 

7 ‘‘(2) PRIORITIZATION.—An eligible entity re8 ceiving a grant under this section shall prioritize co9 operating and coordinating with public and private 

10 organizations and agencies that primarily serve pop11 ulations of older individuals with the greatest social 

12 need. 

13 ‘‘(h) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

14 of enactment of the Elder Pride Act, and annually there15 after, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to Congress 

16 and make available to the public a report that describes 

17 the activities carried out under this section during the pre18 ceding 2-year period. 

19 ‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

20 to be authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec21 tion $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 

22 2029.’’. 

Æ 


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