December 11, 2024 Advocacy Alert




URGENT: Contact Your Representatives Today on OAA Reauthorization! 


December 11, 2024

Snapshot
(A 30-second read for busy people)
  • On December 10, the Senate passed the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 4776) and now the bill will move to the House. There are fewer than two weeks left in the 118th Congress and the time is now to get OAA reauthorization across the finish line!  
  • Action Needed: Please contact your Representatives and urge them to pass OAA reauthorization before the end of the year! Use our email template below.

We are on the last leg of advocacy for Older Americans Act (OAA) reauthorization as the Senate passed the OAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 on December 10! The bill will now move to the House. The Senate bill has been modestly modified following months of quiet negotiations between the Senate and House committees with jurisdiction over OAA, although the two chambers have not yet come to an agreement on authorization levels. 
 
As we near the end of the 118th Congress, it is imperative that you reach out to your Representatives as soon as possible to encourage them to support the OAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. If your Representative was not re-elected for another term, still reach out to them and encourage their support. Despite them not returning to Congress in the next session, their work in the current session is not done. 
 
We need your loudest and strongest advocacy NOW to get the bill across the finish line! Please use the email template below to contact your Representatives and urge them to support the OAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Take Action Now

STEP 1: Send an email to your Representatives requesting their support of the OAA Reauthorization Act of 2024!Use our email template below to get started and be sure to customize it to your agency/community. Send your email to their DC and district offices, which you can find by clicking here. Please be sure to send an email to any House members whose constituents you serve! 
 
Email Template to Your Representatives 
Note: Areas with yellow highlighting require customization. 
 
Dear [Representative NAME]
 
On behalf of [AGENCY NAME] in [AGENCY LOCATION AND STATE], we are writing to urge you to support advancing the bipartisan Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S.4776), which passed the Senate on December 10. 
 
The bipartisan Senate bill, amended with the House’s input, includes critical updates to the law that help agencies like ours better serve older adults and their family caregivers. Because the Act expired in September, it’s imperative that Congress act quickly this year to ensure the continued health and well-being of the 11 million older adults and family caregivers who receive OAA services in communities across the country. 
 
I’d be happy to share how the OAA affects the older adults and family caregivers in your district and our agency’s role in providing critical programs and services to help older adults age well at home. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
[NAME, affiliation, address, etc.] 
 
STEP 2: Engage your provider network. Urge your vendors/providers, advisory board members and other important stakeholders to send their own emails to their Representatives. Please do all you can to amplify the message and engage others who understand the value of OAA in their community! Forward this Alert to your networks or edit it to be best received by your agency’s advocates. Your advocacy will help to ensure OAA is reauthorized before the new year!
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If you have questions or concerns about this Advocacy Alert or USAging’s policy positions, please contact the USAging Policy Team, Amy Gotwals, Olivia Umoren and Seth Ickes at policy@usaging.org.


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