AAA Directors Testify at Successful Senate OAA Hearing

• By: USAging
• On: 05/24/2024 09:37:55
• In: Policy & Advocacy

Yesterday, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on the 2024 reauthorization of the Older Americans Act featuring two AAA directors from USAging member agencies. Laura Holscher, Executive Director/Assistant Vice President for Generations Area 13 AAA in Vincennes, IN, and Leslie Grenfell, Executive Director for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging in Charleroi, PA, testified before Congress. They eloquently discussed the realities of implementing the OAA at the local level, while weaving in the major priorities of USAging in their testimony and under questioning from the Senators who sit on the committee. You can watch the hearing here and read testimonies from our featured AAA directors. It's a great watch because not only were Laura and Leslie fantastic witnesses, but the other witnesses and several Senators praised the work of AAAs!  

There were several references to our reauthorization recommendations, thanks to months of advocacy by USAging and our members, with Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) supporting Aging Network innovation and prioritizing increased funding for OAA, and Ranking Member Mike Braun (R-IN) expressing the need for AAA independence in contracting and commercial relationships. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and J.D. Vance (R-OH) inquired about nutrition flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. This allowed the AAA witnesses to emphasize the importance of nutrition flexibility, noting USAging's proposal with Meals on Wheels America to unify the Title III C nutrition program under one funding stream.  

Finally, the AAA directors reinforced other USAging reauthorization priorities throughout the hearing, including codifying a social engagement resource center in the OAA, allowing evidence-informed programs in Title III D and more. The other witnesses—the CT Long-Term Care Ombudsman and an OAA consumer from Pennsylvania served by the Clearfield County AAA in PA—were also excellent and helped round out the perspectives on the incredible human impact that OAA's many programs and services have in communities around the country.