Date: 1982-03-15
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I am today submitting a resolution which expresses the sense of the Senate that no action be taken to terminate or otherwise weaken the community service employment program under title V of the Older Americans Act. The administrations fiscal year 1983 budget would eliminate the special jobs program for the aged under title V. a program that. just last year. the Congress reauthorized and funded at $268 million for fiscal year 1982. Title V provides about 54.000 parttime jobs nationwide for lowincome senior citizens. Sixtyfive percent of all participants are elderly women. and most participants have incomes below the poverty level. The administration is proposing that this program be merged into a special targetgroup employment effort in which senior citizens would vie for employment with migrant workers. displaced homemakers. and Indians for a total funding level of $274 million. Obviously. reductions of this magnitude would mean that someone will be tinemployed. and in all probability that someone will be the elderly. 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 $296 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 Is 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 financlally 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 wealth of 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 the elderly onto the welfare rolls and 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 medicald programs. How will these people be able to survive? I cannot support the termination of a progranvthat 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.