Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Bill Cassidy
Introduced
Summary
Modernizes and reauthorizes the Older Americans Act to prioritize better health outcomes, stronger caregiver supports, and expanded nutrition and community services for older adults. It creates new roles and reporting to boost mental health, substance use, and cognitive‑impairment services and updates coordination across aging and disability networks.
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- Families and caregivers: Expands the National Family Caregiver Support Program, adds supports for grandparents raising grandchildren, authorizes trauma‑informed and peer services, and creates a Direct Care Workforce Resource Center for training and recruitment.
- Older adults and the aging network: Requires a designated mental health, substance‑use, and cognitive‑impairment officer, scales evidence‑based prevention programs, supports home modifications and weatherization for aging in place, and adds medically tailored meals with counseling. States may use up to 25 percent of certain nutrition funds for off‑site "grab‑and‑go" meals.
- Funding, Tribal services, and accountability: Reauthorizes the law through FY2030 and funds the Community Service Senior Opportunities program at $540.3 million in FY2026 and $647.4 million in FY2030. It raises Grants for Native Americans, tightens reporting, and requires GAO and National Academies studies to track performance and tribal needs.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
13 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Higher funding for aging programs
If enacted, the bill would set new multi‑year funding authorizations for several aging programs for FY2026–FY2030. Examples include about $18–22 million per year for Activities for Health, about $55–66 million per year for the Administration on Aging, and about $22–27 million per year for elder rights and ombudsman support.
Stronger national centers and ombudsmen
If enacted, national resource centers must give more training, best practices, and tools to the aging network. The bill would create a Direct Care Workforce Resource Center and a legal assistance clearinghouse. It would also require annual public summaries of ombudsman reports and a National Academies study on ombudsman staffing and effectiveness.
Stronger support for Native elders
If enacted, the bill would raise authorized grant amounts for programs serving Native elders and make supportive services under Part D mandatory 'as practicable.' It would also require a GAO report within 18 months on barriers Tribes face under Title VI and estimate funding needed to serve unserved Native Americans.
New nutrition demos and waivers
If enacted, the Assistant Secretary could run competitive demonstration grants to test new nutrition ideas and reserve up to 1% of certain nutrition funds for them. States could allow up to 25% of some meal funds for off‑site or carry‑out meals. The bill also allows temporary waiver authority for innovative approaches and directs a GAO study of NSIP food procurement.
Changes to older worker job program
If enacted, Title V (older worker jobs) would get higher authorized funding for FY2026–FY2030 and could explicitly provide broader services like legal and financial counseling. The Secretary must publish a biennial methods report on performance expectations. Grantees that fail expected performance for two years could be barred from the next competition.
More caregiver supports and councils
If enacted, family caregiver supports would explicitly include trauma‑informed care, peer supports, and elder abuse prevention. Respite care could be offered in more ways and caregiver assessments must consider language, culture, and access barriers. The bill would change advisory councils (RAISE and grandparents councils) to improve reporting and public access to caregiver strategy documents.
New mental health lead and report
If enacted, the Assistant Secretary could name an officer to lead mental health, substance use, and cognitive impairment services for older adults. That officer would set objectives and a long‑range plan and the Department must report to Congress on activities and gaps within two years.
Stronger local aging agency rules
If enacted, States would require area agencies on aging to show they can make and run area plans and give preference to established offices when possible. The Assistant Secretary must issue guidance on reallocating funds within a State and coordinate with disability networks and broadband programs. New right‑of‑first‑refusal rules would let local governments bid first for new area agencies that meet experience and contiguity tests.
Wider health screening and info
If enacted, disease prevention and health promotion programs for older adults would explicitly include measures like heart rate and respiratory function. Programs would also be required to provide information about testing, diagnosis, and treatment for infectious diseases that pose higher risks to older people.
Weatherization and home repairs help
If enacted, weatherization and indoor air quality rules would explicitly cover places where older people live or gather. Programs could include residential repair and renovation projects to help older people keep safe, healthy, energy‑efficient homes.
White House Aging Conference 2025
If enacted, the President would be directed to hold a White House Conference on Aging in 2025. The Secretary would run the conference, publish an agenda for public comment, and produce preliminary and final reports within 100 and 180 days after adjournment.
Reports on living and research goals
If enacted, the Secretary would report within two years on health outcomes for older adults who live with or near family and how programs affect those living choices. The bill would also add 'reduction of health care expenditures' to research goals so evaluations must consider cost reduction and include recommendations for further study.
New rules for private contracts
If enacted, many grant recipients could contract with for‑profit firms under new rules. Contracts using Act funds would require cost reimbursement and fair market rates, need State approval, and be monitored. Recipients that use no Act funds must notify States and give assurances they do not undermine Act duties.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bill Cassidy
LA • R
Cosponsors
Bernie Sanders
VT • I
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Rick Scott
FL • R
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Kirsten Gillibrand
NY • D
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Susan Collins
ME • R
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Timothy Kaine
VA • D
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Markwayne Mullin
OK • R
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Edward Markey
MA • D
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Lisa Murkowski
AK • R
Sponsored 6/18/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/18/2025
James Justice
WV • R
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Ashley Moody
FL • R
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Michael Bennet
CO • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Raphael Warnock
GA • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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