FOREWORD Congress had several major objectives when it passed the Older Americans Act in 1965. An Administration on Aging was to act as a central spokesman at the Federal level. Community-based programs were to deliver vitally needed social services, including employment referral assistance, meals-on-wheels, services to help older persons live independently in their own homes, and many others. Research and demonstration programs were to test out innovative ideas. Training grants were to provide the skilled personnel needed as programs on aging increased in size and number. Congress acted in 19671 and in 1969 2 to strengthen the Administration on Aging and provide new programs to serve the elderly. But, even though the Congress had clearly expressed its support for a broadened and powerful Administration on Aging, a number of actions taken since 1967 have raised serious doubts about the capability of AoA to fulfill the mission assigned to it by law. AoA was placed within a new Social and Rehabilitation Service, slipping deeply down into the lower echelons of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare bureaucracy. Programs were taken from AoA and placed elsewhere. And the AoA funding level request. was slashed to the bone early in 1971-the year of the White House Conference on Aging. Fortunately, Congressional hearings and the White House Conference on Aging provided irresistible momentum for more adequate appropriations. Even as Congress voted more funds for AoA, legislative units in both Houses worked all through 1971 to assure that the Older Americans Act would be considerably improved by new law when its authority expired by June 30, 1972. In the Senate, the Subcommittee on Aging of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare conducted joint hearings with the Special Committee on Aging to evaluate the performance of AoA and to consider proposals for change. These hearings were followed by extensive legislative hearings in the House and the Senate. All in all, the Congress gave meticulous and intensive attention to the bill which emerged as the Older Americans Comprehensive Services Amendments. In July the House passed the bill by a vote of 351 to 3. A similar measure was passed, 89-0 by the Senate in October; and differences were soon resolved in Conference. 1 Public Law 90-42, approved July 1, 1967. 2 Public Law 91-69, approved September 17, 1969. (V) The result of these labors was a bill which included these major provisions: Upgrading the AoA by transferring it out of the welfareoriented Social and Rehabilitation Service to the office of the HEW Secretary. Establishing new model programs to focus on high priority problems of the aged, including housing, transportation, and improved social services for elderly handicapped persons. Increasing funding authorizations for existing programs under the Older Americans Act. Strenghtening and improving the Foster Grandparent and Retired Senior Volunteer Programs. Authorizing funding for the establishment of multipurpose senior centers. Establishing a Senior Service Corps for low-income persons 55 or older. Creating a midcareer development services program in the Department of Labor to provide training, counseling, placement, recruitment, and other supportive services for unemployed or underemployed individuals 45 or older. Despite the strong bipartisan support for the Comprehensive Older Americans Services Amendments, President Nixon vetoed this bill in late October. Because the measure was disapproved after the Congress adjourned, there was no opportunity to pass the bill without the signature of the President. Consequently, it will be necessary during the 93d Congress to consider legislation to amend the Older Americans Act; and it is absolutely essential to take action early in 1973 to resolve the mounting uncertainties in the field of aging because of the veto of the Comprehensive Older Americans Act. Seven years of experience under the Older Americans Act have demonstrated beyond any doubt that the Nation is in need of the high-level agency on aging envisioned by Congress back in 1965. The legislation passed and vetoed in 1972 would have taken us a long way toward that goal. It is imperative that Congress give priority to consideration of those amendments soon after the session begins in January. HARRISON A. WILLIAMS, Jr., Chairman, Committee on Labor and Public Weifare. THOMAS F. EAGLETON, Chairman, Subcommittee on Aging of the Committee on Labor and FRANK CHURCH, Public Welfare. Chairman, Special Committee on Aging. Mr. EAGLETON, from the committee of conference, CONFERENCE REPORT [To accompany H.R. 15657] The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 15657) to strengthen and improve the Older Americans Act of 1965, and for other purposes, having met, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate to the text of the bill and agree to the same with an amendment as follows: In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the Senate amendment insert the following: That this Act may be cited as the "Older Americans Comprehensive Services Amendments of 1972". TITLE I-DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES FINDINGS AND PURPOSES SEC. 101. The Congress finds that millions of older citizens in this Nation are suffering unnecessary harm from the lack of adequate services. It is therefore the purpose of this Act, in support of the objectives of the Older Americans Act of 1965, to (1) make available comprehensive programs which include a full range of health, education, and social services to our older citizens who need them, (2) give full and special consideration to older citizens with special needs in planning such programs, and, pending the availability of such programs for all older citizens, give priority to the elderly with the greatest economic and social need, (3) provide comprehensive programs which will assure the coordinated delivery of a full range of essential services to our (1) 2 older citizens, and, where applicable, also furnish meaningful employment opportunities for many individuals, including older persons, young persons, and volunteers from the community, and (4) insure that the planning and operation of such programs will be undertaken as a partnership of older citizens, parents, community, and community, State and local governments, with appropriate assistance from the Federal Government. 66 SEC. 102. Section 101 (8) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after "services" the following: ", including access to low-cost transportation,”. TITLE II-ADMINISTRATION ON AGING SEC. 201. (a) Section 201 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 is amended to read as follows: "ESTABLISHMENT OF ADMINISTRATION ON AGING "SEC. 201. (a) There is established in the Office of the Secretary an Administration on Aging (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the 'Administration') which shall be headed by a Commissioner on Aging (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the 'Commissioner'). Except for title VI and as otherwise specifically provided by the Older Americans Comprehensive Services Act of 1972, the Administration shall be the principal agency for carrying out this Act. In the performance of his functions, he shall be directly responsible to the Secretary and not to or through any other officer of that Department. The Commissioner shall not delegate any of his functions to any other officer who is not directly responsible to him unless he first submits a plan for such delegation to the Congress. Such delegation is effective at the end of the first period of thirty calendar days of continuous session of Congress after the date on which the plan for such delegation is transmitted to it, unless between the day of transmittal and the end of the thirty-day period either House passes a resolution stating in substance that that House does not favor such delegation. For the purpose of this section, continuity of session is broken only by an adjournment of Congress sine die, and the days on which either House is not in session because of an adjournment of more than three days to a day certain are excluded in the computation of the thirty-day period. Under provisions contained in a reorganization plan, a provision of the plan may be effective. "(b) The Commissioner shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate." (b) (1) Section 202 (4) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 is amended to read as follows: "(4) develop plans, conduct and arrange for research in the field of aging, and assist in the establishment of and carry out programs designed to meet the needs of older persons for social services, including nutrition, hospitalization, preretirement training, continuing education, low-cost transportation and housing, and health services;" (2) Section 202 of the Older Americans Act of 1956 is amended by striking out "and" at the end of paragraph (7), by striking out 3 the period at the end of paragraph (8) and inserting in lieu thereof 66 "; and", and by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraphs: "(9) develop basic policies and set priorities with respect to the development and operation of programs and activities conducted under authority of this Act; "(10) provide for the coordination of Federal programs and activities related to such purposes; "(11) coordinate, and assist in, the planning and development by public (including Federal, State, and local agencies) and nonprofit private organizations of programs for older persons, with a view to the establishment of a nationwide network of comprehensive, coordinated services and opportunities for such persons; "(12) convene conferences of such authorities and officials of public (including Federal, State, and local agencies) and nonprofit private organizations concernd with the development and operation of programs for older persons as the Commissioner deems necessary or proper for the development and implementation of policies related to the purposes of this Act; "(13) develop and operate programs providing services and opportunities as authorized by this Act which are not otherwise provided by existing programs for older persons; "(14) carry on a continuing evaluation of the programs and activities related to the purposes of this Act, with particular attention to the impact of medicare and medicaid, the Age Discrimination Act of 1967, and the programs of the National Housing Act relating to housing for the elderly and the setting of standards for the licensing of nursing homes, intermediate care homes, and other facilities providing care for older people; "(15) provide information and assistance to private nonprofit organizations for the establishment and operation by them of programs and activities related to the purposes of this Act; and "(16) develop, in coordination with other agencies, a national plan for meeting the needs for trained personnel in the field of aging, and for training persons for carrying out programs related to the purposes of this Act, and conduct and provide for the conducting of such training." (3) Section 202 of the Act (as amended by the preceding provisions of this subsection) is further amended by inserting "(a)" after “Sec. 202.", and by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: "(b) In executing his duties and functions under this Act and carrying out the programs and activities provided for by this Act, the Commissioner, in consultation with the Director of Action, shall take all possible steps to encourage and permit voluntary groups active in social services, including youth organizations active at the high school or college levels, to participate and be involved individually or through representative groups in such programs or activities to the maximum extent feasible, through the performance of advisory or consultative functions, and in other appropriate ways." (c) Title II of the Older Americans Act of 1965 is further amended by adding at the end thereof the following new sections: |