President Signs OAA Reauthorization Act

This week President Obama signed the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016, S. 192, into law (P. L. 114-144), finalizing a six-year reauthorization process. The House approved the three-year reauthorization bill last month and the Senate followed suit in early April. In a statement about the signing, Assistant Secretary on Aging Kathy Greenlee said, “The OAA underpins a promise to preserve the right to live independently, with dignity, making everyday decisions according to our individual preferences and goals across our lifespan. This promise is more important than ever.” However, the need to advocate for increased funding for OAA is pressing, and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging encourages members and local advocates to continue to press lawmakers to boost funds for aging programs in FY 2017—with a particular attention to Titles of the Act that have not received restoration from sequester cuts, including Title III B.

For more information and how to advocate for funding, check out the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging's OAA Funding advocacy tools.