design to utilize such facilities and services as effectively as persons not so affected. SEC. 101. It is the purpose of this title to establish a program to provide comprehensive manpower services throughout the Nation. PRIME SPONSORS SEC. 102. (a) The Secretary may make financial assistance available to a prime sponsor to enable it to carry out all or a substantial part of a comprehensive manpower program. CONDITIONS FOR RECEIPT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SEC. 105. (a) The Secretary shall not provide financial assistance for any fiscal year to a prime sponsor unless such sponsor submits a comprehensive manpower plan, in such detail as the Secretary deems necessary, which- (3)(A) provides appropriate arrangements with community-based organizations serving the poverty community, and other special target groups for their participation in the planning of programs included in the plan; * TITLE II-PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS STATEMENT OF PURPOSE SEC. 201. It is the purpose of this title to provide unemployed and underemployed persons with transitional employment in jobs providing needed public services in areas of substantial unemployment and. wherever feasible, related training and manpower services to enable such persons to move into employment or training not supported under this title. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SEC. 203 (a) The Secretary shall enter into arrangements with eligible applicants in accordance with the provisions of this title in order to make financial assistance available in areas of substantial unemployment for the purpose of providing transitional employment for unemployed and underemployed persons in jobs providing needed public services, and training and manpower services related to such employment which are otherwise unavailable, and enabling such persons to move into employment or training not supported under this title. SEC. 208. SPECIAL CONDITIONS (b) Consistent with the provisions of this title, the Secretary shall make financial assistance under this title available in such a manner that, to the extent practicable, public service employment opportunities will be available on an equitable basis in accordance with the purposes of this title among significant segments of the population of unemployed persons, giving consideration to the relative numbers of unemployed persons in each such segment. TITLE III-SPECIAL FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITIES PART A SPECIAL TARGET GROUPS SPECIAL MANPOWER TARGET GROUPS SEC. 301. (a) The Secretary shall use funds available under this. title to provide additional manpower services as authorized under titles I and II to segments of the population that are in particular need of such services, including youth, offenders, persons of limited English-speaking ability, older workers, and other persons which the Secretary determines have particular disadvantages in the labor market. The Secretary shall take into account the need for continued funding of programs of demonstrated effectiveness. * * * YOUTH PROGRAMS AND OTHER SPECIAL PROGRAMS SEC. 304. (a) The Secretary may provide financial assistance in urban and rural areas, including areas having large concentrations or proportions of low-income, unemployed persons, and rural areas having substantial outmigration to urban areas, for comprehensive work and training programs, and necessary supportive and follow-up services, including the following: (6) special services, when required, for middle-aged and older men and women, including recruitment, placement, and counseling for such persons who are unemployed as a result of the closing of a plant or factory or a permanent large-scale reduction in the work force of a locality, and provide grants to or contracts with prime sponsors to assist such sponsors in securing part-time or temporary employment for middle-aged and older persons; and (7) other manpower programs conducted by community-based organizations. U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1974 0-620-040 Mr. BRADEMAS. The Subcommittee on Select Education of the Committee on Education and Labor will come to order for the purpose of beginning hearings on extension of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, and related legislation. As this is the first hearing being held by the subcommittee, I will take just a moment to welcome back the former members of the subcommittee, including the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Meeds; the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Lehman; as well as those new members of the subcommittee who are with us today, the gentleman from New York, Mr. Zeferetti; and the gentleman from California, Mr. Miller. The Chair will simply observe at the outset that this is a busy subcommittee on a busy committee. One of the reasons we have been able to be productive in years past is that the subcommittee has sought to operate to the extent possible in a bipartisan fashion with members of the subcommittee on both sides of the aisle respecting the rights and responsibilities of those on the other. I share hopes that this method of approach will be continued in this Congress. The Chair also wants to observe that we do not, save under certain circumstances, adhere to the 5-minute rule. I hope that members will have ample opportunity for their questions. We are meeting today to consider the extension of the various programs supported under the Older Americans Act and related legislation. That legislation now supports such activities as lunch programs, supplying older persons with meals 5 days a week; local programs providing a range of recreational and other activities for the elderly; volunteer efforts such as the foster grandparent program; research on the aging process; and training of persons to work with the elderly. Because this legislation, so important to 20 million Americans, is to expire at the end of June of this year, I think it is imperative we move expeditiously to enact a bill to extend the legislation. Today we shall hear from a distinguished group of witnesses representing the administration and the public sector. Tomorrow and on Monday, we shall continue to hear from public witnesses and witnesses from groups representing the elderly. Our first witness today is a distinguished public servant, Dr. Arthur Flemming, Commissioner, Administration on Aging, presently also Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Dr. Flemming is accompanied by Stanley B. Thomas, Assistant Secretary for Human Development. Gentlemen, won't you proceed? STATEMENT OF HON. ARTHUR S. FLEMMING, COMMISSIONER, ADMINISTRATION ON AGING, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, ACCOMPANIED BY STANLEY B. THOMAS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Mr. FLEMMING. Thank you very much. First of all, I would like to suggest that you listen to a preliminary statement from Assistant Secretary Thomas, and then I will follow. Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to be before your committee again. I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear today before the Select Subcommittee on Education to testify on the extension of the Older Americans Act of 1965. Dr. Arthur Flemming, Commissioner of the Administration on Aging, who has been a prime mover in the implementation of the legislation, is with me today and I will ask him to speak to that aspect of the subject. As I know Dr. Flemming will agree that, being involved in the implementation of the coordinated, comprehensive service system under the authorized new title III of the 1973 amendments to this act has been an interesting and rewarding experience. I believe that considerable progress has been made toward establishing, in communities across the Nation, focal points for addressing the needs of older persons and toward raising awareness about older persons and their needs on the part of the general population. We have been able to identify some necessary changes as a result of operating experience to date. I will discuss our proposed changes later, but first Dr. Flemming will summarize action that has been taken to implement the program. Mr. FLEMMING. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I certainly appreciate the opportunity of appearing before this committee. in support of the extension of the Older Americans Act of 1965. The concept incorporated in both the 1973 and 1974 amendments to the Older Americans Act is a sound one. It provides the basis for the installation and operation of a nationwide net work on aging. During the fiscal year 1974, we placed primary emphasis on the installation of this network. During the present fiscal year, we are endeavoring to do everything we can to help the network operate in such a manner as to make a significant contribution to serving the needs of today's older persons. It is my purpose to identify some of the steps that we have taken and are taking in order to achieve the objective set forth in the act. I am prepared to discuss with the committee, or to provide for the record, specific information relative to actions taken under each one of the titles of the act. The network to which I have referred consists of the Administration on Aging, the State offices on aging, 412 area agencies on aging, and 665 nutrition projects. I feel that we should think of the advisory committees to the State agencies and area agencies on aging and to the nutrition projects as members of this network. As all of us who are a part of this network discharge our responsibilities, I feel that we should keep in mind the following points: (1) We are charged, at all levels of government, with becoming focal points for aging. (2) We are charged, at all levels of government, with serving as advocates for older persons in connection with all issues confronting the lives of older persons. (3) Our major task is to develop a cooperative network to serve older persons through a system of comprehensive coordinated services. designed to meet their needs. In the light of these points, I would like to discuss with the members of the committee some processes which we are endeavoring to |