Date: 1982-07-01
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. last year. the Congress demonstrated its strong support for the title V employment program under the Older Americans Act. in a 3 year reauthorization. Just 12 months later. this February. the administration proposed eliminating the program. The resolution before the Senate today expresses the sense of the Senate that no action be taken to terminate or otherwise weaken the community service employment program. I introduced to this resolution. Senate Resolution 34Q. last March. Since that time. 33 Senators have joined as cosponsors. including Members from the other side of the aisle. A similai measure has since been introduced In the House and more than 200 Members have cosponsored it. We now have a chance to demonstrate the Congress strong support for the community service -employment program. We need to reaffirm our support for this program. Title V provides about 54.000 parttime jobs nationwide for lowincome elderly Americans. A majority of program participants are elderly women. An overwhelming majority provide vital community services in public hospitals. day care centers. libraries and senior citizen centers. Many provide services for other senior citizens. Most participants have below poverty level incomes. The administration has proposed that the community service employment program be eliminated. In its place. tie administration has proposed job training block grant. with sharply reduced funding. In the block grant. senior citizens would vie for employment with migrant workers. displaced homemakers. Indians and other groups for training and employment opportunities. The title V program is pot a job training program: It is a community service employment progran targeted for lowincome elderly work0r5. The Labor and Human Resources Committe has rejected the administrations approach to the community service employment program under title V of the Older Americans Act. The committee has unanimously voted to report the pending resolution strongly supporting the program. I wish to thank the dist!nguished Senator from Missouri for his leadership in guiding the resolution through committee. As ranking member of the Aging Subcommittee of Labor and Human Resources. Senator EAGLETON has shown sensitive concern and significant leadership on critical issues affecting aging Americans. There are about 690 senior citizens employed in community service jobs at minimum wage In West Virginia. and I have heard from many of them. The following is an excerpt from a letter received from one of my constituents in the southern part of West Virginia. which Is representative of the concerns that have been expressed to me: I am 78 years old and the chances of me finding another job if this program is discontinued are very slim. and near zero percent. I am retired on social security and receive only $206 per month. My living expenses are as follows: $100 a month for rent. $100 a month for utilities (in the winter months my utilities run as high as $250 monthly). plus money for groceries. plus $50 a month on health Insurance premiums. plus money for personal needs. My wife li diabetic and disabled. and has to buy a lot of medicine and has large medical expenses. Both my wife and I require special diet foods. I have explained this to help you realize that should this program be discontinued. I would be unable to make it financially on the social security payment of $296 a month. as living expenses far exceed -this amount. These are proud people who bring a lifetime of experience and a wealthof understanding to the individuals they serve. Frankly. these people are hard pressed to make ends meet even with their jobs. To eliminate the senior jobs program would simply force working elderly citizens onto the welfare rolls. Any savings that would be assumed by eliminating this program would be borne by another. Further. the administration is proposing cutbacks in special nutrition programs for the elderly. supplemental security income. and medicare and medicaid programs. How will these people be able to survive? I cannot support the termination of a program that provides selfsufficiency to individuals that have worked long and hard all of their livesand continue to workonly to find that their "Golden Years" have turned to dross. and that they must swallow their pride. lose their independence. and turn to welfare in order to survive. this is a sad commentary for a nation such as ours. and I will not be a part of this action.