I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8423 

To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish a LGBTQI rural 

outreach grant program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 16, 2024 

Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. POCAN, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Mr. TONKO, 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. NORTON, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. CASTEN, and Ms. 

JAYAPAL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish 

a LGBTQI 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 of 

5 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. RURAL OUTREACH GRANT PROGRAM. 

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

3 (42 U.S.C. 3031 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

4 the following: 

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

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

7 ‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en8 tity’ means an entity that submits an application to 

9 the Assistant Secretary in accordance with sub10 section (c) and is— 

11 ‘‘(A) a State; 

12 ‘‘(B) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organiza13 tion; or 

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

15 institution that— 

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

17 older individuals, LGBTQI individuals, 

18 older LGBTQI individuals, or individuals 

19 of another protected class; or 

20 ‘‘(ii) focuses on providing sexual 

21 health services to all older individuals, in22 cluding services for individuals with HIV; 

23 and 

24 ‘‘(D) may include an area agency on aging 

25 for a rural area or a multipurpose senior cen26 ter. 


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1 ‘‘(2) LGBTQI.—The term ‘LGBTQI’, used 

2 with respect to an individual, means a lesbian, gay, 

3 bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex individual. 

4 ‘‘(3) PROTECTED CLASS.—The term ‘protected 

5 class’ means a group of individuals sharing a com6 mon characteristic or identity who are legally pro7 tected against discrimination. 

8 ‘‘(4) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘rural area’ 

9 means an area that is not designated by the United 

10 States Census Bureau as an urbanized area or 

11 urban cluster. 

12 ‘‘(b) AUTHORITY FOR GRANTS.—The Assistant Sec13 retary may make grants to eligible entities to carry out 

14 activities described in subsection (d) that are designed— 

15 ‘‘(1) to create a cooperative and lasting part16 nership between LGBTQI older individuals, or older 

17 individuals of a protected class, residing in rural 

18 areas and the eligible entity receiving the grant; 

19 ‘‘(2) to meet the needs of the individuals de20 scribed in paragraph (1); and 

21 ‘‘(3) to provide comprehensive sexual health 

22 services to all older individuals residing in rural 

23 areas. 

24 ‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.— 


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

2 grant under this section shall submit an application 

3 to the Assistant Secretary at such time, in such 

4 manner, and containing such information as the As5 sistant Secretary may reasonably require, including 

6 the contents described in paragraph (2). 

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

8 under this section shall contain— 

9 ‘‘(A) a description of the proposed activi10 ties to be supported by the grant; 

11 ‘‘(B) a description of the size and charac12 teristics of the population in a rural area to be 

13 served by such proposed activities; 

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

15 resources expected to be made available in con16 nection with such activities; 

17 ‘‘(D) a demonstrated intent to partner 

18 with local organizations in rural areas in car19 rying out such activities; 

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

21 Assistant Secretary that such activities will 

22 meet urgent needs that are not met by available 

23 public and private sources; and 

24 ‘‘(F) such other information or certifi25 cations that the Assistant Secretary determines 


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1 necessary to achieve the purposes described in 

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

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

4 funds made available by a grant under this section to 

5 carry out activities that include initiatives that— 

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

7 to community outreach to LGBTQI older individ8 uals, or older individuals of a protected class, resid9 ing in rural areas; 

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

11 for LGBTQI older individuals, or older individuals 

12 of a protected class, residing in rural areas by build13 ing relationships between such individuals and the 

14 local community; 

15 ‘‘(3) foster relationships between local service 

16 providers and LGBTQI older individuals, or older 

17 individuals of a protected class, residing in rural 

18 areas; 

19 ‘‘(4) improve cultural competency with respect 

20 to LGBTQI individuals, and older individuals of a 

21 protected class, among organizations and personnel 

22 providing services to older individuals residing in 

23 rural areas; 

24 ‘‘(5) expand the use of nondiscrimination poli25 cies that— 


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1 ‘‘(A) prohibit discrimination on the basis 

2 of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex 

3 characteristics (including intersex traits); and 

4 ‘‘(B) create community spaces that are in5 clusive to LGBTQI older individuals and older 

6 individuals of a protected class; and 

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

8 older individuals residing in rural areas, including 

9 services for individuals with HIV. 

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

11 of receiving funds under this section, an eligible entity 

12 shall use such funds received under this section only to 

13 supplement the level of state or local funds that would, 

14 in the absence of the receipt of funds under this section, 

15 be made available for related LGBTQI services. 

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

17 Secretary shall establish standards and guidelines for ac18 tivities supported by grants under this section. Such 

19 standards and guidelines shall permit an eligible entity re20 ceiving such grant to refine or adapt the standards and 

21 guidelines for an individual project if the refinement or 

22 adaptation is made necessary by a local circumstance. 

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

24 ‘‘(1) COOPERATION.—An eligible entity that re25 ceives a grant under this section shall, in carrying 


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1 out activities supported by the grant, agree to co2 operate and coordinate with— 

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

4 local governments responsible for providing 

5 services to LGBTQI older individuals, or older 

6 individuals of a protected class, in the area 

7 served by such activities; and 

8 ‘‘(B) other public and private organizations 

9 and agencies providing services to LGBTQI 

10 older individuals, or older individuals of a pro11 tected class, in such area. 

12 ‘‘(2) PRIORITIZATION.—An eligible entity re13 ceiving a grant under this section shall prioritize co14 operating and coordinating with public and private 

15 organizations and agencies that primarily serve pop16 ulations of older individuals with the greatest social 

17 need. 

18 ‘‘(h) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after the ef19 fective date of this section, and annually thereafter, the 

20 Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Congress and 

21 make available to the public a report describing the activi22 ties carried out under this section during the then pre23 ceding 2-year period. 

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

25 to be authorized for rural outreach grant activities under 


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1 section 423, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 and 

2 2029.’’. 

Æ 


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