Health Care for Seniors
Senator Kohl has long been concerned about the high cost of prescription drugs, which can make it hard for seniors to afford the medicines they need. Today, Americans pay substantially higher prices for the same medicines that are far less expensive in many other industrialized countries.
›› Read more

Long-Term Care
Senator Kohl is a strong supporter of the programs under the Older Americans Act (OAA) and supported its successful reauthorization in 2006. The OAA programs are extremely valuable for senior citizens across the nation. They provide funding for senior centers, congregate and home-delivered meals, elder abuse protection and support for family caregivers.
›› Read more

Elder Fraud and Abuse
Senator Kohl is one of the lead sponsors of the Elder Justice Act, a bipartisan, bicameral effort which aims to coordinate the efforts of the federal government with states, senior centers, law enforcement organizations, community groups, and social services to prevent and respond to instances of physical, emotional, and financial abuse of senior - whether committed by family members, strangers, or caregivers.
›› Read more

Social Security and Retirement Savings
Social Security is an enormously successful and important program that keeps millions of seniors out of poverty and provides a sense of security to all Americans. Social Security provides a guaranteed retirement benefit that is protected from inflation and lasts for as long as you live.
›› Read more

Older Workers
As older Americans live longer and healthier lives, many are planning to work longer. According to a recent survey, 80 percent of baby boomers expect to work past traditional retirement age. Some may do so because they enjoy physical and mental benefits of work, while some may need the additional income to remain financially secure.
›› Read more

Emergency Preparedness for Seniors
Hurricane Katrina had a disproportionate impact on older Americans. Many New Orleans residents that did not evacuate prior to the storm were elderly individuals either not physically able to leave the city or lacking access to transportation. Additionally, it appears that evacuation plans at some nursing homes and other care facilities were ignored or never carried out -- 30 residents of a nursing home in St. Bernard Parish drowned in the flood waters.
›› Read more

Assisting Seniors with Rising Energy Costs
Senator Kohl is a longtime supporter of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides heat and energy crisis assistance to senior citizens and poor working families in over 4.8 million households nationwide.
›› Read more

Affordable Senior Housing
Senator Kohl is a longtime advocate of programs that allow low-income seniors to continue living independent life styles, such as the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program. The Section 202 program provides capital grants to non-profits and community organizations for the development of supportive housing and rental assistance for very low-income seniors.
›› Read more

The Digital TV Transition
The Digital Television (DTV) transition is the switch from traditional analog TV to digital TV. This transition represents the most significant advancement in television technology since color TV was introduced. DTV will allow broadcasters to deliver movie quality picture and sound. It also provides more programming options for viewers because broadcasters will be able to "multicast" or air up to six different channels over one signal, such as an 'all weather' or 'all traffic' channel.
›› Read more