Older Americans Month Speech Resources:
Fact Sheet
Updated May 13, 2022
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R43978
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Introduction
May is Older Americans Month (OAM)—a time to celebrate and pay tribute to older people
across the country. Since 1992, the Administration on Aging (AOA) has selected an annual theme
for OAM. The May 2022 theme is Age My Way, which encourages older Americans to “explore
the many ways older adults can remain in and be involved with their communities.”1
This Congressional Research Service (CRS) guide is designed to assist congressional offices with
work related to OAM celebrations. It contains a brief history with resources for additional
historical, legislative, and budget information; CRS reports; examples of speeches and
recognitions from the legislative branch; presidential proclamations; and statistics and projections
from authoritative government sources. The sections “Resources for Older Americans,”
“Educational Opportunities for Seniors,” and “Volunteer Opportunities for Seniors” contain
selected resources that may be of interest to constituents.
History
President John F. Kennedy designated May 1963 as Senior Citizens Month to pay tribute to
citizens aged 65 and older. President Jimmy Carter changed the name to “Older Americans
Month” in 1980. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for
Community Living (ACL) website contains historical resources for OAM.
Legislation and Budget
The Older Americans Act (OAA; P.L. 89-73) was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson
on July 14, 1965, and supports a range of social services and programs for individuals aged 60
years or older.
Congress has reauthorized and amended the OAA numerous times since it was first enacted. Most
recently, President Donald J. Trump signed the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 (P.L.
116-131) on March 25, 2020. The law reauthorized the OAA through FY2024.
The Older Americans Act (P.L. 89-73)
Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-131)
Current Budget Information (ACL)
CRS Reports
CRS has prepared several reports that explain or address issues of concern to older Americans.
Some of these include the following.
The Older Americans Act and Related Programs
CRS Report R43414, Older Americans Act: Overview and Funding, by Kirsten J. Colello and
Angela Napili
1 Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “OAM 2022,” May 4, 2022,
https://acl.gov/oam/2022/older-americans-month-2022.
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Older Americans Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
CRS Report RS22549, Older Americans Act: Funding Formulas, by Kirsten J. Colello
CRS In Focus IF10633, Older Americans Act: Nutrition Services Program, by Kirsten J. Colello
CRS Report R45626, Older Americans Act: Senior Community Service Employment Program, by
Benjamin Collins
CRS Insight IN11410, COVID-19: Selected Financial and Social Service Resources for Older
Americans, by Tamar B. Breslauer, Angela Napili, and Abigail R. Overbay
CRS Report R46439, Older Americans Act: 2020 Reauthorization, by Kirsten J. Colello and
Jared S. Sussman
Other Programs and Issues Focused on Older Americans
CRS Report R40425, Medicare Primer, coordinated by Patricia A. Davis
CRS Report R42035, Social Security Primer, by Barry F. Huston
CRS In Focus IF10322, Medicaid Primer, by Alison Mitchell
Sample Congressional Speeches and Recognitions
Members of Congress often make floor statements, issue press releases, or enter Extensions of
Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays and observances. The
following are some recent examples that may be of assistance in preparing such statements.
Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (representing a bipartisan group of Senators), “Senate Resolution 243
– Designating May 2021 as ‘Older Americans Month,’” Senate, Congressional Record, vol. 167
(May 26, 2021), pp. S3510-S3511.
Senator Susan M. Collins, “Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020,” Senate, Congressional
Record, vol. 166 (March 4, 2020), pp. S1471-S1472.
Representative Joyce Beatty, “Recognizing the 52nd Anniversary of the Older Americans Act,”
Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, vol. 163 (July 14, 2017), p. E990.
Presidential Proclamations
One of the many uses of a presidential proclamation is to ceremoniously honor a group or call
attention to certain issues or events. Some recent OAM proclamations, from the Compilation of
Presidential Documents, include
Presidential Proclamations—Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2021-)
Presidential Proclamations—Donald J. Trump (2017-2020)
Presidential Proclamations—Barack H. Obama (2009-2016)
Presidential Proclamations—George W. Bush (2001-2008)
Presidential Proclamations and remarks from 1993 to the present are available through the
govinfo.gov service on the Government Publishing Office website. Earlier remarks (including
selected audio and video clips) are available through The American Presidency Project,
established by the University of California, Santa Barbara.
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Older Americans Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Statistics
Numerous federal agencies maintain statistics on the elderly. Some useful data include
U.S. Census Bureau, Stats for Stories: Older Americans Month: May 2022.
Administration on Community Living, 2019 Profile of Older Americans. (Previous editions of
Profile of Older Americans are available on the ACL website.)
Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics, Older Americans 2016: Key Indicators of
Well Being.
Resources for Older Americans
A vast number of resources exist to directly help and inform older Americans and their caregivers,
including the following:
Eldercare Locator
USAging (formerly, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging)
National Center on Elder Abuse
engAGED, National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults
National Council on Aging, Benefits CheckUp
National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center, The National Consumer Voice for
Quality Long-Term Care
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, HealthyPeople.gov
State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs)
In addition to the resources above as well as below, many additional community-based programs
can be found using local resources, such as a public library or a recreation department.
Educational Opportunities for Seniors
Numerous programs are available to seniors to provide educational and fun experiences. The
following are three broader well-established resources:
Making Education Accessible to Seniors, A Place for Mom
Road Scholar
AARP, Life-Long Learning
Volunteer Opportunities for Seniors
Active seniors may enjoy sharing their knowledge and skills by volunteering to help others. The
following selections provides diverse volunteer opportunities, including some for living and
volunteering abroad:
The Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps Seniors
GoEco, 50+ Volunteering
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Older Americans Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Additional community-based programs can be found using local resources, such as a public
library or a recreation department.
Author Information
Gary Sidor
Senior Technical Information Specialist
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
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Congressional Research Service
R43978 · VERSION 12 · UPDATED
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