	Introduction

Originally enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) supports a wide range of social services and programs for individuals aged 60 years or older. These services and programs include supportive services, congregate nutrition services (i.e., meals served at group sites such as senior centers, community centers, schools, churches, or senior housing complexes), home-delivered nutrition services, family caregiver support, community service employment, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, and services to prevent the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older persons. Except for Title V, Community Service Employment for Older Americans (CSEOA), all programs are administered by the Administration on Aging (AOA) in the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Title V is administered by the Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training Administration. The OAA has been reauthorized and amended numerous times since it was first enacted in 1965. On April 19, 2016, President Barack Obama signed P.L. 114-144 , the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016. This report provides information on bipartisan efforts to reauthorize the OAA, including a discussion of key issues, followed by a brief summary of that act's historical development. The Older Americans Act Reauthorization of 2016

The following provides a section-by-section summary of key provisions in The Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016 ( P.L. Prior to the 2016 reauthorization, the last OAA reauthorization occurred in 2006, when the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006 ( P.L. 109-365 ) was enacted, which extended the act's authorizations of appropriations through FY2011 (authorizations of appropriations for most OAA programs expired on September 30, 2011). OAA-authorized activities have continued to receive funding for FY2012 through FY2016. In the 114 th Congress, both the House and the Senate have considered bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the OAA. The bill would also make various amendments to existing OAA authorities, including changes to the statutory funding formula for certain programs under Title III of the act. The House took up S. 192 and passed the bill with an amendment on March 21, 2016. The Senate passed S. 192 , as amended by the House on April 7, 2016. Older Americans Act: Historical Development

First enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) was created in response to concern by policymakers about a lack of community social services for older individuals.
First enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) was created in response to concern by policymakers about a lack of community social services for older individuals. Since then, the OAA has been reauthorized and amended numerous times. The last OAA reauthorization occurred in 2006, when the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006 (P.L. 109-365) was enacted, which extended the act's authorizations of appropriations through FY2011 (authorizations of appropriations for most OAA programs expired on September 30, 2011). OAA-authorized activities have continued to receive funding for FY2012 through FY2016.
Today the OAA supports a wide range of social services and programs for individuals aged 60 years or older. These services and programs include supportive services, congregate nutrition services (i.e., meals served at group sites such as senior centers, community centers, schools, churches, or senior housing complexes), home-delivered nutrition services, family caregiver support, community service employment, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, and services to prevent the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older persons. Except for Title V, Community Service Employment for Older Americans (CSEOA), all programs are administered by the Administration on Aging (AOA) in the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Title V is administered by the Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training Administration.
In the 114th Congress, both the House and the Senate have considered bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the OAA. On July 16, 2015, the Senate passed S. 192, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2015. The House took up S. 192 and passed the bill with an amendment on March 21, 2016. The Senate passed S. 192, as amended by the House on April 7, 2016. On April 19, 2016, President Barack Obama signed P.L. 114-144, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016. Key reauthorization issues for policymakers and stakeholders included changes to the Title III statutory funding formula for certain programs, statutory language for discretionary authorizations of appropriations, and constraints on discretionary appropriations in the current budgetary climate that have curbed interest in amending the act to establish new programs or activities.
This report provides information on the status of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the OAA and key issues, followed by a brief summary of that act's historical development. Next, it provides a section-by-section summary of P.L. 114-144, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016.