S2120119th CongressWALLET

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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