House Advances OAA Reauthorization

On March 21, the House passed an amended version of the Older Americans Act (OAA) reauthorization (S. 192), which was approved by the Senate last summer. The House bill is almost identical to the Senate version. It maintains the Senate’s modification to the hold-harmless provision used to allocate funds for most programs under Title III (grants to states). This change would result in no state receiving less than 99% of its prior-year allotment (instead of an amount equal to its fiscal year [FY] 2006 allotment). It also expands the list of allowable activities for certain programs, and strengthens the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program.

Issue Brief 15-28 provides details on the Senate-passed bill. This brief focuses on differences between the House and Senate versions, including the period of authorization, authorized funding levels, and modifications to the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP).