Now let's consider the provisions to which I and the Administration object and which are contained in H.R. 71, but not in H.R. 4813. The three year authorization for H.R. 71 is over $1.4 billion. This was reduced from almost $2 billion in H.R. 71 as introduced, but the reduction shrinks to insignificance beside the vast over-promise implied by the authorizations in the reported bill. No President could in good conscience request, and no Congress could responsibly appropriate the amounts authorized. In short, the authorization levels are little more than a public relations gambit which reveal no effort to come to grips with the simple reality that neither the Federal budget nor the American taxpayer have unlimited resources. The authorizations of "such sums as may be necessary" provided for in H.R. 4813, is a sounder managerial approach, and avoids the "expectation gap" that is created by excess authorizations.

Similarly, the organizational provisions of H.R. 71 reveal a failure to grasp reality (as well as, I might add, a true concern for the aged persons who would be affected by this act). They are unworkable and unnecessary. The Administration on Aging would be moved from the Social and Rehabilitation Services where it is administered with other service-providing programs, to the Office of the Secretary of HEW; authority for carrying AOA's responsibilities under the Act would be vested in the Commissioner on Aging, rather than with the Secretary; and the Commissioner would be prohibited from delegating any of his statutory authority to an officer not directly responsible to him unless he first submits to Congress a delegation plan to which neither House disapproved within 30 days.

Somewhere in this unrestrained interference in managerial matters the bill has lost sight of the fact that these provisions fragment accountability and authority and would gravely intefere with the Secretary's ability to manage and coordinate all the HEW programs that affect the elderly.

Finally, consider the categorical programs and duplicative functions authorized by H.R. 71, all of which are unnecessary and which contribute to the high authorization levels in the bill. There is an authorization for community service employment for those over 55 (Title IX); an authorization for a National Information and Resource Clearing House For the Aging; an authority for support to Multidisciplinary Centers of Gerontology; an authorization for construction of and mortgage insurance for Multipurpose Senior Centers; and an authority for grants for initial staffing of Multipurpose Senior Centers. Not to mention that, thrown in among this hodgepodge, is a title (VIII) containing amendments to numerous other acts having little or no relation to the Older Americans Act.

What is the purpose of these tacked on, ornamental programs? Title IX, authorizing community service employment, is a manpower program duplicating existing authority administered by the Labor Department. Duplicating existing authority merely creates more bureaucracy and red tape, drastically raising costs without a commensurate improvement of services. The Subcommittee on Select Education apparently recognized this fact when it eliminated Title X, another manpower program duplicating existing authority. So what is the rationale for including Title IX?

Similarly with the narrow categorical programs. They involve much bureaucracy and great additional cost, and, of course, they sound ever so nice when a politician needs evidence to demonstrate (?) his immense, altruistic concern for the elderly, but they do little in the way of providing any appropriate and needed services.

In addition, consider H.R. 71 in light of the record of the Nixor Administration's support of programs and legislation for the elderly. Under President Nixon, the budget for the Administration on Aging rose from $24 million in fiscal 1969 to a budget request of $244 million for fiscal 1974. In addition to these expenditures fcr services to the aged, I would like to note the projected fiscal 1974 level of other benefits for the aged. The President's fiscal 1974 budget reflects a total of $69.1 billion in income security benefits for the aged. This figure includes over $31 billion in annuities to primary beneficiaries and over $37 billion in benefits to aged persons who are not primary beneficiaries.

These figures mean that approximately 20% of the entire Federal budget for fiscal 1974 will be devoted to benefits for the aged who make up about 10% of our population.

In light of all this, what possible justification is there for H.R. 71? I can think of only one: Many Members of Congress reflect little concern with the rising taxes and the inflation that is eating away at the earnings and savings of all Americans; nor do they reflect concern for the elderly, who would be misled by the excessive authorizations and the pretty sounding hodgepodge of categorical and duplicative programs; rather they seem concerned only with the political expediency of being "for" and not "against" the elderly at the expense of all taxpaying Americans, including our elderly citizens.

I offered H.R. 4813 in committee as a substitute for H.R. 71. Although it was not adopted, the committee members were confronted with a choice: a bill extending and improving the Older Americans Act in accordance with the Nixon Administration's policy of generous support of the elderly; or a bill which, while extending and improving the Older Americans Act, also adds enormous and unnecessary costs, and an irresponsible proliferation of the bureaucracy, while dictating a restrictive, cost-inflating reorganization of HEW.

I chose the former; I regret that so many of my colleagues chose the latter.

EARL F. LANDGREBE.

APPENDIX

OLDER AMERICANS ACT OF 1965, As amended

PUBLIC LAW 89-73 (JULY 14, 1965), AS AMENDED BY PUBLIC LAW 90-42 (JULY 1, 1967), PUBLIC LAW 91-69 (SEPTEMBER 17, 1969), PUBLIC LAW 92-258 (MARCH 22, 1972), AND PUBLIC LAW 93-29 (MAY 3, 1973)

AN ACT To provide assistance in the development of new or improved programs to help older persons through grants to the States for community planning and services and for training, through research, development, or training project grants, and to establish within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare an operating agency to be designated as the "Administration on Aging".

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Older Americans Act of 1965".

TITLE 1-DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES: DEFINITIONS

DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES FOR OLDER AMERICANS

SEC. 101. The Congress hereby finds and declares that, in keeping with the traditional American concept of the inherent dignity of the individual in our democratic society, the older people of our Nation are entitled to, and it is the joint and several duty and responsibility of the governments of the United States and of the several States and their political subdivisions to assist our older people to secure equal opportunity to the full and free enjoyment of the following objectives: (1) An adequate income in retirement in accordance with the American standard of living.

(2) The best possible physical and mental health which 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, including access to low-cost transportation, 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.

DEFINITIONS

SEC. 102. For the purposes of this Act—

(1) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare;

(2) The term "Commissioner" means, unless the context otherwise requires, the Commissioner of the Administration on Aging.

(3) The term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

(4) The term "nonprofit" as applied to any agency, institution, or organization means an agency, institution, or organization which is, or is owned and operated by one or more corporations or associations no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

TITLE II-ADMINISTRATION ON AGING

ESTABLISHMENT OF ADMINISTRATION OF 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 Amendments of 1973, the Administration shall be the principal agency for carrying out this Act. In the performance of his functions, the Commissioner shall be directly responsible to the Office of the Secretary. The Secretary shall not approve any delegation of the functions of the Commissioner to any other officer not directly responsible to the Commissioner unless the Secretary shall first submit a plan for such delegation to the Congress. Such delegation is effective at the end of the first period of sixty calendar days of continuous session of Congress after the date on which the plan for such delegation is transmitted to it: Provided, however, That within thirty days of such transmittal, the Secretary shall consult with the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives respecting such proposed 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 and sixty-day periods. 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

FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE

SEC. 202. (a) It shall be the duty and function of the Administration to

(1) serve as a clearinghouse for information related to problems of the aged and aging;

(2) assist the Secretary in all matters pertaining to problems of the aged and aging;

(3) administer the grants provided by this Act;

(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;

(5) provide technical assistance and consultation to States and political subdivisions thereof 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;

(8) stimulate more effective use of existing resources and available services for the aged and aging; and

(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 concerned 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