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Biden’s Tango: America Temporarily Safe from Default While Build Back Better Negotiations Drag On

Congress narrowly averted a global crisis this week by passing through temporary debt limit legislation that enables the country to continue honoring its financial obligations through early December. The next debt limit fight will likely align with the expiration of the continuing resolution on December 3, potentially tying the two fiscal issues together in future negotiations.

While those issues loom large over the next month and a half, Democrats in Congress are also racing to put the Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill and Democrat-led reconciliation package in front of the President by November. Conversations on Capitol Hill indicate the President's Build Back Better plan will need to be significantly trimmed to appease moderates in his party, which may mean cutting large swaths of the $3.5 trillion House measure and narrowing the bill to invest in fewer areas of concentration like the environment and working families. However, progressive Democrats are steadfast in decrying the passage of an infrastructure bill without critical and long overdue investments in health and workforce infrastructure.

What does this all mean for aging advocates? It is critical we reach out to elected officials and highlight the essential services and programs AAAs and Title VI Native American Aging Programs provide for America's aging population. We need to show elected officials that we cannot cripple the successful outreach and services you provided throughout the pandemic and that an aging demographic coupled with the needs of people with disabilities deserve sustained funding for life-saving programs and services that allow individuals to age with dignity and safety in their homes and community.

Visit USAging's Appropriations Campaign page and continue to appeal to your legislators so they do not forsake the necessary and long-overdue funding for Older Americans Act and other aging programs and stay tuned for additional USAging Advocacy Alerts in the coming weeks!

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Contributors

Please read this special message from USAging CEO Sandy Markwood regarding the hurricane devastation affecting our Area Agencies on Aging in the Southeast U.S.