I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7993 
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide equal treatment 
of LGBTQ older individuals, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 9, 2022 
Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. CRIST, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 
MCCOLLUM, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. 
TONKO, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. TAKANO, 
Mr. SWALWELL, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. BLU-
MENAUER, Mr. NADLER, Mr. CARSON, Ms. TITUS, Mr. SOTO, Mr. 
O’HALLERAN, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. CA´RDENAS, 
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. CICILLINE, Miss RICE of New York, Ms. 
MATSUI, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. CRAIG, and Mr. WELCH) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide 
equal treatment of LGBTQ older individuals, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ruthie and Connie 
LGBTQ Elder Americans Act of 2022’’. 
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‘‘(38) The term ‘minority’, used with respect to 
an individual, includes a lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
transgender,or queer individual.’’. 
(b) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
215(e)(1)(J) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 
U.S.C. 3020e–1(e)(1)(J)) is amended by striking ‘‘minori-
ties’’ and inserting ‘‘minority individuals’’. 
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION ON AGING. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF ADMINISTRATION; OFFICE 
OF THE LBGTQ INCLUSION.—Section 201 of the Older 
Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3011) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d)(3)(J), by inserting before 
the semicolon the following: ‘‘, including the effec-
tiveness of such services in meeting the needs of 
LGBTQ older individuals’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) The Assistant Secretary is authorized to des-
ignate within the Administration a person to have respon-
sibility for addressing issues affecting LGBTQ older indi-
viduals. 
‘‘(i)(1) There is established in the Administration an 
Office of LGBTQ Inclusion (referred to in this subsection 
as the ‘Office’). 
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‘‘(2)(A) The Office shall be headed by a Director of 
LGBTQ Inclusion (referred to in this subsection as the 
‘Director’) who shall be appointed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) The Office shall include an Assistant Director 
of LGBTQ Policy (referred to in this subsection as the 
‘Assistant Director’) who shall be appointed by the Direc-
tor to assist the Director in carrying out this subsection, 
including by carrying out the activities under paragraph 
(4). 
‘‘(3) The Director shall— 
‘‘(A) coordinate activities within the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services, and between 
other Federal departments and agencies, to assure a 
continuum of improved services for LGBTQ older 
individuals; 
‘‘(B) promote access to aging services and sup-
ports for LGBTQ older individuals; 
‘‘(C) collect and disseminate information related 
to the challenges experienced by LGBTQ older indi-
viduals; and 
‘‘(D) administer and evaluate grants that will 
expand access to aging services and supports for 
LGBTQ older individuals. 
‘‘(4) The Assistant Director shall— 
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‘‘(A) serve as the effective and visible advocate 
on behalf of LGBTQ older individuals— 
‘‘(i) within the Department of Health and 
Human Services and with other departments 
and agencies of the Federal Government re-
garding all Federal policies affecting such indi-
viduals; and 
‘‘(ii) in the States to promote the enhanced 
delivery of services and implementation of pro-
grams, under this Act and other Federal Acts, 
for the benefit of such individuals; 
‘‘(B) support, conduct, and arrange for re-
search in the field of LGBTQ aging with a special 
emphasis on gathering statistics on LGBTQ older 
individuals; 
‘‘(C) collect and disseminate information related 
to challenges experienced by LGBTQ older individ-
uals; and 
‘‘(D) recommend policies and priorities bene-
ficial to LGBTQ older individuals and promote the 
implementation and adoption of culturally competent 
care and services for such individuals. 
‘‘(5) Not later than 5 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act and every 5 years thereafter, the Director 
shall submit to Congress a report describing the activities 
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carried out under this subsection during the preceding 5 
years.’’. 
(b) FUNCTIONS OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—Section 
202 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (16)(A)(ii), by inserting 
‘‘, and separately specifying the number of such 
individuals who are LGBTQ individuals’’ before 
the semicolon; 
(B) in paragraph (33), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(C) in paragraph (34), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(35) conduct studies and collect data to deter-
mine the services that are needed by LGBTQ older 
individuals.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j)(1) The Assistant Secretary shall, directly or by 
grant or contract, establish and operate the National Re-
source 
Center 
on 
Lesbian, 
Gay, 
Bisexual, 
and 
Transgender Aging (in this subsection referred to as the 
‘Center’). 
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‘‘(2) To address the unique challenges faced by 
LGBTQ older individuals, the Center shall provide na-
tional, State, and local organizations, including those with 
a primary mission of serving LGBTQ individuals and 
those with a primary mission of serving older individuals, 
with the information and technical assistance the organi-
zations need to effectively serve LGBTQ older individuals. 
‘‘(3) The Center shall have 3 primary objectives, con-
sisting of— 
‘‘(A) educating aging services organizations 
about the existence and special needs of LGBTQ 
older individuals; 
‘‘(B) sensitizing LGBTQ organizations about 
the existence and special needs of older individuals; 
and 
‘‘(C) 
providing 
educational 
resources 
to 
LGBTQ older individuals and their caregivers. 
‘‘(4)(A) To be eligible to receive funds under this sub-
section, an entity— 
‘‘(i) shall have demonstrated expertise in work-
ing with organizations or individuals on issues af-
fecting LGBTQ individuals; 
‘‘(ii) shall have documented experience in pro-
viding training and technical assistance on a na-
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tional basis or a formal relationship with an organi-
zation that has that experience; and 
‘‘(iii) shall meet such other criteria as the As-
sistant Secretary shall issue. 
‘‘(B) To be eligible to receive funds under this sub-
section, an entity shall submit an application to the Assist-
ant Secretary at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Assistant Secretary may 
require. 
‘‘(5) The Assistant Secretary shall make available to 
the Center on an annual basis such resources as are nec-
essary for the Center to carry out effectively the functions 
of the Center under this Act and not less than the amount 
of resources made available to the National Resource Cen-
ter on LGBTQ Aging, existing on the day before the date 
of enactment of the Ruthie and Connie LGBTQ Elder 
Americans Act of 2017, for fiscal year 2018. 
‘‘(6) The Assistant Secretary shall develop and issue 
operating standards and reporting requirements for the 
Center.’’. 
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR STATE AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS 
ON AGING. 
Section 301(a)(2) of the Older Americans Act of 
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3021(a)(2)) is amended— 
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(1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as sub-
paragraph (G); and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(F) organizations that serve LGBTQ in-
dividuals; and’’. 
SEC. 5. ACTIVITIES FOR HEALTH, INDEPENDENCE, AND 
LONGEVITY. 
Section 411(a)(11) of the Older Americans Act of 
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3032(a)(11)) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(11) conducting activities of national signifi-
cance to promote quality and continuous improve-
ment in the support and services provided to individ-
uals with greatest social need, through activities that 
include needs assessment, program development and 
evaluation, training, technical assistance, and re-
search, concerning— 
‘‘(A) addressing physical and mental 
health, disabilities, and health disparities; 
‘‘(B) providing long-term care, including 
in-home and community-based care; 
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‘‘(C) providing informal care, and formal 
care in a facility setting; 
‘‘(D) providing access to culturally respon-
sive health and human services; and 
‘‘(E) addressing other gaps in assistance 
and issues that the Assistant Secretary deter-
mines are of particular importance to older in-
dividuals with greatest social need.’’. 
SEC. 6. DATA ON DISCRIMINATION. 
Section 712 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 
U.S.C. 3058g) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(3)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) 
through (J) as subparagraphs (G) through (K); 
and 
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (E) 
the following: 
‘‘(F) collect and analyze data, relating to 
discrimination against LGBTQ older individuals 
on the basis of actual or perceived sexual ori-
entation or gender identity in the admission to, 
transfer or discharge from, or lack of adequate 
care provided in long-term care settings, and 
shall include the analyses in the reports de-
scribed in subsection (h)(1);’’; and 
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(2) in subsection (h)(6), in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘(A) through 
(G)’’ and inserting ‘‘(A) through (H)’’. 
Æ 
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