May 13, 2022

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the millions of members and supporters of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, I am writing to ask that you cosponsor H. Res. 583, a Resolution introduced by Representative David Cicilline to reestablish the House Select Committee on Aging.  Members of the National Committee come from all walks of life and every political persuasion. What unites them is their passion for protecting and strengthening Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the other programs that are so vitally important to older Americans.

With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day – and the number of seniors projected to double by 2050 – the need for supports and services provided under programs like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act will continue to increase.  Jurisdiction over these programs is spread among multiple authorizing Committees, and they perform exemplary oversight and legislative functions over matters within their respective jurisdictions.  However, it can be challenging for these Committees to fully review issues that cross jurisdictional lines or that involve the complex interaction of a wide range of disciplines.

Such issues include a variety of intergenerational concerns that merit attention, such as the growing demands on family caregivers and our intractable retirement security crisis.  In addition to these traditional demands of an aging society, the coronavirus has had a disproportionate impact on older adults, especially those residing in assisted living facilities and nursing homes.  Understanding these challenges in a more comprehensive manner and exploring innovative solutions deserves the kind of attention and public engagement that the Select Committee on Aging is uniquely positioned to provide.

Reestablishing a Special Committee on Aging in the House would also complement the strong bipartisan work of its counterpart in the Senate.  In recent years, the Senate Committee has effectively promoted member understanding on a range of issues, including the concerns of grandparents raising grandchildren, elder abuse and fraud, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on older Americans and their families, the importance of financial literacy in planning for retirement, and the costs associated with isolation and loneliness.

Historically, the House Select Committee on Aging served as a unique venue that allowed open, bipartisan debate from various ideological and philosophical perspectives to promote consensus that, in turn, helped facilitate the critical work of the standing committees.  Addressing the needs of older Americans in a post-pandemic world will require vigilant oversight and action, work which can be advanced and promoted by reestablishing the House Select Committee on Aging.

We urge all House members to join in the effort to reestablish the House Select Committee on Aging by cosponsoring H. Res. 583.

Sincerely,

Max Richtman
President and CEO