I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8026 

Making emergency supplemental appropriations for social isolation services 

under the Older Americans Act of 1965. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 11, 2020 

Mr. TRONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for 

a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

Making emergency supplemental appropriations for social 

isolation services under the Older Americans Act of 1965. 

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 ‘‘Strengthening Social 

5 Connections Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS. 

7 The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of 

8 any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 


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1 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, and for 

2 other purposes, namely: 

3 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 

4 SERVICES 

5 ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING

6 AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES PROGRAMS

7 For an additional amount for ‘‘Aging and Disability 

8 Services Programs’’, for carrying out the Older Americans 

9 Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) (‘‘OAA’’), 

10 $104,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 

11 2022, of which— 

12 (1) $80,000,000 shall be made available for 

13 supportive services under part B of title III of such 

14 Act (42 U.S.C. 3030d et seq.), provided that such 

15 amount made available under this paragraph shall 

16 be made available for prevention and mitigation ac17 tivities focused on addressing extended social isola18 tion among older individuals, which may include ac19 tivities for investments in technological equipment 

20 and solutions or other strategies aimed at alleviating 

21 the negative health effects of social isolation due to 

22 long-term stay-at-home recommendations for older 

23 individuals for the duration of the coronavirus pan24 demic; 


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1 (2) $18,000,000 shall be made available for ac2 tivities authorized under sections 202(a)(33), 

3 202(b)(11), and 411(a)(18) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 

4 3012(a)(33), 3012(b)(11), and 3032(a)(18)), pro5 vided that such amount made available under this 

6 paragraph shall be made available for— 

7 (A) technical assistance to State agencies, 

8 area agencies on aging, aging services and nu9 trition providers, and other community groups, 

10 to reduce the negative health effects of social 

11 isolation and loneliness among older individuals 

12 by promoting social engagement; and 

13 (B) coordinated efforts to prioritize activi14 ties that prevent and address social isolation 

15 and loneliness among a wide range of older in16 dividuals, including activities for strategies that 

17 identify best practices, support demonstration 

18 of innovative approaches in the aging services 

19 network, conduct public education, develop 

20 partnerships and collaborations to advance pro21 gram objectives, or enhance the capacity of the 

22 aging network, and other activities as appro23 priate to mitigate social isolation and loneliness 

24 among older individuals; and 


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1 (3) $6,000,000 shall be made available for 

2 aging network support activities, provided that such 

3 amount made available under this paragraph shall 

4 be used to develop targeted outreach strategies to 

5 reach particularly at-risk populations, including— 

6 (A) populations targeted under section 

7 306(a)(4)(A)(i)(I) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 

8 3026(a)(4)(A)(i)(I)); and 

9 (B) older individuals whose needs were the 

10 focus of centers funded under title IV of such 

11 Act (42 U.S.C. 3031 et seq.) for fiscal year 

12 2019: 

13 Provided, That, notwithstanding section 304(d)(1)(D) of 

14 the OAA (42 U.S.C. 3024(d)(1)(D)) or any other provi15 sion in such Act, the requirement for a non-Federal share 

16 under such section shall not apply for fiscal year 2021 

17 with respect to services under part B of title III of such 

18 Act: Provided further, That the amount appropriated 

19 under this heading is designated by Congress as being for 

20 an emergency requirement pursuant to section 

21 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 

22 Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)). 

Æ 


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