Washington, DC (May 2, 2006) – {Today, the Select Education Subcommittee, of which Congressman Hinojosa is Ranking Member, held a hearing on the Senior Independence Act of 2006.

Since becoming law in 1965, the Older Americans Act has provided grants to states for community planning and services programs, as well as for research, demonstration and training projects in the field of aging.

Over the years, grants provided funds to Area Agencies on Aging for local needs identification, planning, and funding of services, including but not limited to nutrition programs in the community as well as for those who are homebound; programs which serve Native American elders; services targeted at low-income minority elders; health promotion and disease prevention activities; in-home services for frail elders, and those services which protect the rights of older persons.

________________________________________

Below are Congressman Hinojosa’s opening remarks from today’s hearing:

Thank you, Chairman Tiberi.  I would like to join the chairman in welcoming the witnesses today. 

The Older Americans Act is the cornerstone of our national network of support for older Americans.  It represents our country at its best.  We believe that all individuals – no matter how old – should be able to live their full lives with dignity.    The Older Americans Act has built the aging network that makes that possible.

The voices of the aging network have come through loud and clear.  Reauthorize the Older Americans Act.   We are working together to do that.

I would like to thank the Chairman for the openness of this process.  I share his goal of producing a consensus bill that will enable this legislation to serve a new and larger generation of Older Americans.

It is up to us to build the capacity of our aging network to meet the demands of the future.  We have just learned that the outlook for the solvency of Social Security and Medicare has been downgraded again.  Medicare is projected to be insolvent by 2018.  The projection for Social Security is 2040. 

 The aging network supported by the Older Americans Act faces similar challenges.  At our field hearing in the Chairman’s district, we learned that the buying power of the Older Americans Act has dropped by 50 percent since 1980.  In constant dollars, in 1980, we were investing $15.82 per older American.  Today, that figure is $7.90.  We cannot allow the aging network that has been so successful in improving the quality of life for our seniors to become frayed beyond repair because of lack of resources.

I am looking forward to hearing the witnesses’ response to the draft legislation that was released.  I think that it was a good start. However, it is essential that we get feedback about how the proposed changes will work in concert.

One area of particular concern is the Senior Community Employment Program.  The aging network has been steadfast in its support for the dual – community service and employment -- nature of the program.  We need to maintain that. 

However, many of the changes advocated by the Department of Labor would move us away from the dual purpose and 40-year history of the program.  Legislative changes coupled with regulatory changes to eligibility could put the program out of reach of many seniors who need it and have the combined effect of making it very difficult for grantees to meet performance targets.  We must be sure that any changes that we make to the Senior Community Employment Program do not undermine a successful program that has served the community and our seniors so well for over 40 years.

Thank you for joining us today.  This is important work.  I am looking forward to working with the chairman to move the process forward and continue the great legacy of bipartisan support for the Older Americans Act.