citizen participation, the Older Americans Act of 1963 was introduced.

You are undoubtedly familiar with the bill, but I would like to highlight several of its features, which, to me, are so long overdue, and urgently needed, that we cannot afford further delay without risking another social revolution among a segment of our population that quite frankly has been assigned the status of another minority group. H.R. 7957 would restore this deserving group of our population to their rightful place as first-class citizens.

I might add in passing that this group represents a $35 billion a year market in the United States and that 17 out of every 100 eligible voters in the United States are over 65.

It is because older Americans are responsible individuals, they look to the orderly congressional processes for providing the necessary funds and facilities by which they can exercise their full citizenship rights and offer their services.

The objectives of the Older Americans Act of 1963 are primarily these:

(1) An adequate income in retirement in accordance with the American standard of living.

(2) The best possible physical and mental health which medical science can make available and without regard to economic status.

(3) Suitable housing, independently selected, designed and located with reference to special needs and available at costs which older citizens can afford.

(4) Full restorative services for those who require institutional

care.

(5) Opportunity for employment with no discriminatory personnel practices because of age.

(6) Retirement in health, honor, dignity, after years of contribution to the economy.

(7) Pursuit of meaningful activity within the widest range of civic, cultural, and recreational opportunities.

(8) Efficient community services which provide social assistance in a coordinated manner and which are readily available when needed. (9) Immediate benefit from proven research knowledge which can sustain and improve health and happiness.

(10) Freedom, independence, and the free exercise of individual initiative in planning and managing their own lives.

Within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare an administration to be known as the Administration for Aging would be established. This would be under the direction of a Commissioner for Aging to be appointed by the President by and with the advice of the Senate.

It would be the duty and function of the Administration

1. To serve as a clearinghouse for information related to the problems of the aged and aging.

2. Assist the Secretary in all matters pertaining to the problems of the aged and aging.

3. Administer the grants provided by the Act.

4. Develop plans, conduct and arrange for research and demonstration programs in the field of aging.

5. Provide technical assistance and consultation to States and political subdivisions with respect to programs for the aged and aging.

6. Prepare, publish, and disseminate educational materials dealing with the welfare of older persons.

7. Gather statistics in the field of aging which other Federal agencies are not collecting, and

8. Stimulate more effective use of existing resources and available services.

Funds would be appropriated for grants by the Secretary to States for projects for

(1) Community planning and coordinating of programs to carry out the purposes of the bill.

(2) Demonstrations of programs or activities which are particularly valuable in carrying out such purposes.

(3) Training of special personnel needed to carry out such programs and activities.

(4) Establishment of new or expansion of existing programs to carry out such purposes, including establishments or expansion of existing centers providing recreational or other leisure time activities and informational, health, welfare, counseling and referral services for older persons and assisting such persons in providing voluntary community or civic services. I think it should be noted that no cost of construction other than minor alterations and repairs would be included in such establishment or expansion.

Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I think you will agree that this is basic legislation. There are no frills. Every part of it has been directed toward a demonstrated need. Its administration will be at a level equal to that of the Commissioner of Social Security and the Commissioner of Welfare. It will enjoy the prestige needed to get the job done.

The funds have been provided for a limited period to provide necessary safeguards, but for a period long enough to demonstrate the practical aspects of the proposed program.

I am convinced that the testimony which you will be hearing the next few days will further document the urgency for this legislation. It almost seems unnecessary to encourage prompt action on the Older Americans Act of 1963. As the facts unfold in later testimony, I believe you will agree with me that the hour is late, action overdue, and that our role as responsible legislators is to do everything within reason to expedite the passage of H.R. 7957. This bill transcends personal or political self-interest and will be regarded as one of the most important contributions to the social legislation of our time.

That completes my statement, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. DENT. Thank you, Mr. Fogarty, in behalf of the committee. I am particularly pleased that you have directed your statement to what I believe to be not only the main point of controversy but practically the only point of controversy, and that is the question of whether an independent agency should be set up. It appears to me from what I have already read and heard in past testimony that almost everybody wants to do something for the aging; so concerning the goal you are striving for you have little or no opposition. The question of how to do it, the best method to apply to doing this good that we want to do for the aging is what this legislation concerns itself with.

In order to back your stand, as it were, in the matter, I have here a letter from U.S. Senator Pat McNamara, who is your cosponsor, having sponsored S. 2000, which is an identical bill, and I would like to read the letter for the record.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: As your Select Subcommittee on Education opens public hearings on H.R. 7957, I respectfully submit the attached statement in support of this legislation and request that it be made a part of the record of the hearings.

As you may know, I have introduced a companion measure, S. 2000, in the Senate and my comments apply equally to both bills.

With all good wishes,

Sincerely,

PAT MCNAMARA.

I want to read one or two short excerpts from his prepared statement in order to emphasize, as he would wish it, I am sure, the fact that he recognizes the heart of the legislation. I will quote from paragraph 4.

This legislation constitutes a double-barreled answer to meeting an urgent need of our 18 million older Americans. First, it would establish a high-level agency, an Administration of Aging, that would devote its full attention to the development of solutions to their social and economic problems. This agency would function not only as a sympathetic and respectful ear and voice for the elderly but would function positively in terms of: Serving as a clearinghouse of information on the problems of the aged and aging; assisting and advising the Secretary on the manifold matters affecting the elderly; administering the grants provided by the act; developing, conducting, and arranging for research and demonstration programs in the field of aging; providing technical assistance and consultation to State and local governments and private organizations; preparing and publishing educational materials dealing with the problems and potentials of older persons; gathering statistics in the field of aging; and stimulating more effective use of existing resources and available services.

On page 2 of the same statement, paragraph 4, he makes another plea for consideration of that same point:

Establishment of the Special Staff on Aging, responsible to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare represented a very hesitant step toward providing some representation for the elderly. This tiny step forward all too quickly, however, was converted into a full retreat with the conversion of the Special Staff into the Office of Aging as a component of the Welfare Administration.

I think we have these two points and with the permission of the committee I would insert in the record at this time the full statement of Senator McNamara, since I believe it concurs in every point made by the distinguished Representative who has just addressed us.

(The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT BY HON. PAT MCNAMARA, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF
MICHIGAN

Mr. Chairman, I welcome this opportunity to offer a statement in support of H.R. 7957. As you know, I have introduced a companion measure, S. 2000, in the Senate.

For my part, the bill which you are now considering is not the product of a brief surge of imagination. It is the careful result of my years of experience

A

as chairman of the Senate's Special Committee on Aging and its predecessor, the Subcommittee on Problems of the Aged and Aging of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. It is the result of years of studying the problems of older Americans at firsthand. It is the result of careful analysis of the findings of the two Senate committees committees which, incidentally, have developed, assembled and published what is, undoubtedly, the largest and most authoritative body of information on the older citizens of this Nation.

And finally, it is the result of years of watching and waiting, in vain, for the emergence from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare of a vigorous and vital program of action attuned to the needs of the elderly.

This legislation constitutes a double-barreled answer to meeting an urgent need of our 18 million older Americans. First, it would establish a high-level Agency-an Administration of Aging-that would devote its full attention to the development of solutions to their social and economic problems. This agency would function not only as a sympathetic and respectful ear and voice for the elderly but would function positively in terms of serving as a clearinghouse of information on the problems of the aged and aging; assisting and advising the Secretary on the manifold matters affecting the elderly; administering the grants provided by the act; developing, conducting, and arranging for research and demonstration programs in the field of aging; providing technical assistance and consultation to State and local governments and private organizations; preparing and publishing educational materials dealing with the problems and potentials of older persons; gathering statistics in the field of aging; and stimulating more effective use of existing resources and available services. Secondly, the bill authorizes a total of $70 million over a 5-year period for programs designed to promote the well-being of our older citizens. Of this amount, a total of $50.5 million would be authorized for grants to the States for community planning, demonstration projects, training of personnel, and related programs. The balance $19.5 million, would be used for grants to public or nonprofit private agencies, organizations or institutions for research, training, and demonstration projects in the field of aging.

The establishment of an Administration of Aging will not automatically solve the problems of our older people. But, establishment of such an organization, providing it with the personnel, funds, and the authority necessary to give full attention to those problems will be a major advance in devising the means of dealing with them.

At the present time, we are without a central core of direction and coordination in this field. The Administration of Aging would constitute that core. The Administration of Aging, headed by a Commissioner appointed by the ✓ President, subject to confirmation by the Senate, would have coequal status with the Social Security and Welfare Administrations. Thus, the older population would be meaningfully represented in the upper echelons of the Federal Government.

The proposed Administration of Aging would establish a specific high-level Agency with power and responsibility to take action. It would have full-time responsibility, backed by professional knowledge and ability, and the strong desire to represent effectively in the Federal Government our 18 million older Americans.

Establishment of the Special Staff on Aging, responsible to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare represented a very hesitant step toward providing some representation for the elderly. This tiny step forward all too レ quickly, however, was converted into a full retreat with the conversion of the Special Staff into the Office of Aging as a component of the Welfare Department. Welfare is, of course, but a small element in the total picture of the elderly. Welfare often represents and certainly symbolizes the "end of the road"-an acknowledgment of failure. Our goal, however, is to help older Americans succeed in dignity and independence.

I urge your favorable consideration of legislation designed to remove a good portion of the tarnish from what should be "golden years."

Mr. DENT. Any questions?

Mr. DANIELS. I would like to compliment my colleague from Rhode Island for his leadership in this field. The reputation you have earned is justly deserved as indicated by the fine statement you have delivered this morning on this bill.

There is no question about it that we should concern ourselves with the problems of our senior citizens. We are all well aware of the fact that at that age of life when their income is diminishing and their health failing or possibly failing that they deserve our con

sideration.

You all know that due to expert medical knowledge today that the life of our citizens is growing longer and longer and that they are now facing problems which they can least afford to meet. Therefore, our Government should concern itself about the housing and welfare of these people.

You made an excellent statement here this morning and I go along with you 100 percent on this legislation.

Mr. MARTIN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

There are perhaps laudable purposes in this bill but I have some questions, Mr. Fogarty, that we should clear up that I am not entirely sure about.

Under title I in your declaration of objectives you have 10 points here.

The first one provides and I quote:

An adequate income in retirement in accordance with the American standard of life.

How do you propose to provide an adequate income for these people with whom we are concerned?

Mr. FOGARTY. I don't have the answer and I don't know of anybody in the country that has the answer.

This legislation will give us leads in that direction, I would hope. I have been asking these questions for 17 years on the Appropriations Committee and I have not had one person give us an answer to it as yet. I do not know but I would hope, under demonstration projects allowed under this bill and research projects, that some of these answers would be forthcoming.

I do not know of any person or group in this country that knows what to do about this increase in our aging population.

We are not prepared and that is the main reason I am concerned about no plans of any kind in these areas that are brought up in the bill.

Mr. MARTIN. Point 2 of your objectives is, and I quote it:

The best possible physical and mental health which medical science can make available and without regard to economic status.

We have had a great deal of talk and legislation introduced with regard to medical assistance for our citizens.

What do you have in mind here on this second objective? What do you propose for the Government to do?

Mr. FOGARTY. That again would come out of a study such as we are proposing in this bill.

Many of these objectives come out of the White House Conference on Aging. I do not believe there has ever been a more successful conference called on the national level.

Every State in this Union took part in this White House Conference. They had 2 years of planning at the local level. They sent