Hon. Charles B Rangel
of New York
in the House of Representatives
Monday, July 30, 2001

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce H. Con. Res. 199 that celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs to occur in March 2002. I wish to first commend the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Program (NANASP) and my good friend Bob Blancato for their work on behalf of this resolution. I hope all my colleagues and the many national, state and local aging organizations will join in support. In 1972, Congress passed legislation authored by my friend and colleague, Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, to establish for the first time a federal program to provide senior citizens with daily meals served either in congregate settings or in their home. It was viewed then as an important federal initiative to address the growing number of ``at risk'' seniors who faced hospitalization or time in a nursing home due to malnutrition and poor diet. During these past 30 years Older Americans Act nutrition programs have done a marvelous job of serving millions of senior citizens with vital nutritional meals and also providing them equally valuable socialization opportunities.

We should also acknowledge those federal programs, which achieve and exceed their mission. The Older Americans Act nutrition programs so ably administered by the Administration on Aging, state and area agencies on aging and thousands of dedicated nutrition providers and volunteers, is one such program.

I hope during the 30th anniversary celebration, we can recommit ourselves to the cause of promoting good nutrition for our older Americans through the Older Americans Act nutrition programs and the many vital private sector programs that complement the public dollars. One such excellent program is City Meals on Wheels that operates in my home New York City. Each year City Meals on Wheels raised millions of dollars to provide senior citizens with weekend, holiday, and emergency meals.

I commend the dedicated men and women who work each day in our senior centers, community centers, schools and other congregate sites serving the meals under the Older Americans Act nutrition program. I also salute the many thousands of people who deliver meals to the homebound elderly. They are a vital link to these older Americans and often their work goes unheralded.