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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 460 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 460

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Congress 
should enact the Older Americans Bill of Rights to establish that older 
     Americans should have the right to live with dignity and with 
                             independence.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 31, 2023

Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Ms. Adams, Mr. Aguilar, Ms. Barragan, Mr. 
  Blumenauer, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Carson, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. 
Cartwright, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. Chu, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. 
    Cleaver, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. 
  Doggett, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Evans, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Ms. 
 Garcia of Texas, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Higgins of 
New York, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Keating, 
 Mr. Khanna, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Ms. Kuster, Ms. Lee of 
 California, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Matsui, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Meng, 
   Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Norton, Mr. 
 Panetta, Mr. Payne, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Porter, Ms. Pressley, 
  Mr. Sablan, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Sewell, Mr. 
 Takano, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Trone, 
 Mr. Vargas, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Wild, Ms. 
  Wilson of Florida, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Casten, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, 
   Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, and Mr. Frost) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
 Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, 
 and Ways and Means, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Congress 
should enact the Older Americans Bill of Rights to establish that older 
     Americans should have the right to live with dignity and with 
                             independence.

Whereas the percentage of the United States population that is 65 years of age 
        and older, including the percentage of aging veterans, is rapidly 
        expanding, with 10,000 Americans turning age 65 every day;
Whereas Federal policies are needed that promote economic well-being and quality 
        of life for older Americans across many different communities, 
        recognizing race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, 
        cultural diversity, and the growing inequality between poor and wealthy 
        families;
Whereas Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act of 1965 
        provide critical resources to aging Americans and their families but 
        should be expanded and improved to meet growing needs;
Whereas prescription drug prices in the United States are nearly 4 times higher 
        on average than in other peer nations, a burden that disproportionately 
        falls on older Americans, as almost 90 percent of adults 65 or older 
        take a prescription drug;
Whereas aging Americans deserve a dignified, secure, and independent retirement, 
        but nearly half of all Americans 55 and older have no retirement 
        benefits or savings;
Whereas aging women (the majority of those over 65) live longer on average, are 
        more likely to live in poverty, earn lower Social Security benefits, and 
        are less likely to have pensions because of paycheck disparities, time 
        spent out of the workforce for family caregiving responsibilities, and a 
        greater chance of having worked low-wage jobs;
Whereas older Americans in rural, low-income, minority, Indian country, and 
        other underserved communities may be especially vulnerable because of a 
        lack of access to needed and affordable services that allow them to 
        remain in their communities, including adequate transportation, 
        functioning technology, and protected voting rights;
Whereas 5,802,000 older Americans lived in poverty in 2018; 5,500,000 older 
        Americans were food insecure in 2021; 40,000 older Americans experienced 
        homelessness in 2021 (a number projected to nearly triple to 106,000 by 
        2030), and 1 in 5 Americans age 65 and older are socially isolated;
Whereas many older Americans are living longer, working longer, and enjoying 
        healthier, more active lifestyles than past generations, while others 
        are facing shorter lifespans and increased physical, mental, and 
        psychological challenges;
Whereas age-friendly movements are gaining momentum across the country in 
        communities, health systems, and public health initiatives but are not 
        yet fully aligned and coordinated to ensure maximum results;
Whereas 70 percent of those reaching age 65 will require long-term services and 
        supports and will need to rely on family, friends, or paid caregivers;
Whereas, by 2035 it is estimated that 1 in 3 households will be headed by 
        someone aged 65 or older, but many older Americans face challenges in 
        obtaining or keeping affordable, safe, and accessible housing;
Whereas 6,000,000 children live in grandparent-headed households, and almost 
        3,000,000 are being raised by their grandparents;
Whereas approximately 75 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who need a hearing 
        aid do not have one; 70 percent of beneficiaries who have trouble eating 
        because of their teeth did not go to the dentist in the past year; and 
        43 percent of beneficiaries who have trouble seeing did not have an eye 
        exam in the past year;
Whereas older Americans are increasingly the victims of fraud, scams, 
        exploitation, identity theft, and even physical and financial abuse, 
        that threaten their dignity, security, and health; and
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately burdened older Americans, 
        resulting in over 850,000 deaths as of May 2023, millions of cases, and 
        increased distress in adults aged 65 and older, especially those in 
        congregate living facilities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Congress should enact the Older Americans Bill of Rights to 
establish that older Americans should have the right to live with 
dignity and with independence, including the right to--
            (1) high-quality and affordable health care and long-term 
        services and supports, through--
                    (A) guaranteed access to equitable, comprehensive, 
                geographically available, timely, safe and dignified 
                health care;
                    (B) preserved, improved, and expanded Medicare and 
                Medicaid benefits;
                    (C) lower prescription drug prices and increased 
                drug price transparency;
                    (D) mechanisms to allow aging in place, including 
                support for family and nonfamily caregivers, and 
                expansion of the direct care workforce;
                    (E) protection against neglect, abandonment, and 
                domestic abuse;
                    (F) culturally and linguistically competent health 
                care and social services;
                    (G) health-promoting public health policies and 
                programs;
                    (H) higher standards for skilled nursing 
                facilities;
                    (I) increased access to palliative care; and
                    (J) increased access to nutritional service;
            (2) financial and retirement security for themselves and 
        their families, through--
                    (A) preserved, improved, and expanded Social 
                Security benefits;
                    (B) protection for pensions as earned benefits;
                    (C) assistance in establishing retirement savings;
                    (D) protection against financial exploitation, 
                abuse, scams, and digital identity theft; and
                    (E) job training, volunteer opportunities, and 
                enforcement of age discrimination in employment 
                prohibitions; and
            (3) full participation in and contribution to their 
        communities, through--
                    (A) accessible and affordable housing and 
                transportation;
                    (B) equitable access to technology, including 
                expanded broadband speed, affordability, and 
                accessibility;
                    (C) social networking and other opportunities for 
                digital engagement;
                    (D) the right to vote and improved polling location 
                accessibility; and
                    (E) culturally and linguistically competent and 
                comprehensive home and community-based services.
                                 <all>
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