TCSG has, since the early 1970s, been actively engaged in working on aging programs and advocacy related to the Older Americans Act. We have also been involved in advising Congress, the Executive branch, and aging organizations on a variety of issues related to reauthorizations of the Older Americans Act through the past decades. Our publications and materials on law and aging and on elder rights have been devoted regularly to these issues.
This Older Americans Act (OAA) section of the website was created to provide information on and access to materials concerning the OAA, particularly related to legal assistance to vulnerable older Americans, elder rights advocacy, and the role of Legal Services Developers under the OAA.
Older Americans Act reauthorization bill was signed into law by President Obama on April 19, 2016 as Public Law No. 114-144. The law reauthorizes the various OAA programs through fiscal year 2019.
Originally scheduled to be reauthorized in 2011, reauthorization did not really gain traction until 2014.
On Jan. 20, 2015, a bipartisan Senate Bill (S.192) was introduced in the new 114th Congress and referred to the Senate Committee of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). On Jan. 28, 2015, the Senate HELP Committee unanimously approved the bill, and it was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar. On July 16, 2015, it passed the full Senate without amendment.
S. 192 was received in the House of Representatives on July 20, 2015 and referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The House made several amendments, and on March 21, 2016, Congressman Curbelo (R-FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. It was considered by the full House (with forty minutes allowed for debate), and agreed to as amended, by voice vote on March 21st.
The House sent a message on its action on the amended bill, which was received by the Senate on March 22, 2016. On April 7, 2016, the measure was laid before the Senate by unanimous consent, and the Senate agreed to the House Amendment to S. 192 by voice vote. A message on the Senate Action was sent to the House. On April 13, 2016, it was presented to the President, and was signed by the President on April 19, 2016 when it became Public Law No: 114-144, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016.
OAA of 2016: Complete UNOFFICIAL Compilation of the Act
The Older Americans Act (OAA) was amended/reauthorized in early 2016. To assist the many organizations that would find it useful to have a complete, compiled version of the OAA which incorporates the 2016 Amendments, The Center for Social Gerontology, Inc. (TCSG) has put together an UNOFFICIAL COMPILATION. We have highlighted the new language that was added or changed in the 2016 Amendments in orange. The “Unofficial Compilation” is now posted as one complete version of the entire OAA. In the near future, it will be posted by OAA Title so that it can be downloaded by individual Title for those who only want portions of the OAA. The Compilation is in PDF format. Because this is an UNOFFICIAL COMPILATION, it is possible that there are some mistakes. The Center for Social Gerontology, Inc. takes no responsibility for any problems these mistakes may cause. If you should find something which you believe is an error, please contact us, and we will make any necessary changes. Contact Chris Crowder at TCSG at 734 665-1126 or e-mail at ccrowder@tcsg.org.
To access the COMPLETE UNOFFICIAL OAA COMPILATION, including a Table of Contents, click here.