NY’s Senator Reintroduces Older Americans Act Empowering American Seniors, Legislation Introduced To End Food Deserts

GILLIBRAND, COLLEAGUES REINTRODUCE OLDER AMERICANS ACT TO EMPOWER AMERICAN SENIORS

Editor’s note: Staten Islanders may remember Senator Gillibrand and Republican colleagues hosting a hearing on the latest in aging and health research.  It turns out that there is no pill, injection, or treatment that is as effective as dietary changes and lifestyle habits, especially exercise, in reversing chronic disease. She also pushed for seniors and those with disabilities to have more housing options. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, joined nine of her colleagues to reintroduce the Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act. This legislation renews funding for the OAA and strengthens services for American seniors.

The OAA has provided vital nutrition, social, and health services to millions of seniors since its passage in 1965. Last reauthorized in 2020, OAA expired in the 118th Congress. The previous OAA reauthorization passed the Senate unanimously last year.

This legislation would reauthorize OAA programs through fiscal year 2030 and make improvements to promote innovation and flexibility, strengthen program integrity, and better support family caregivers and direct care workers. The bill also takes steps to better serve Tribal seniors and those with disabilities in their communities.

“The OAA has been a lifeline for American seniors since its passage over half a century ago,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This landmark legislation helps our nation’s seniors thrive by supporting programs that provide nutrition assistance, home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation services, caregiver support, disease prevention services, long-term care, and more. One in six older Americans are served by programs funded by the OAA. We owe it to seniors to strengthen and continue funding these programs so they have the support they need to age with dignity and respect. As ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, I am firmly committed to getting this bill passed with bipartisan support.”

Senator Gillibrand was joined on this legislation by Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee; Bernie Sanders (I-VT), ranking member of the HELP Committee; Rick Scott (R-FL), chair of the Senate Special Committee on Aging; Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Tim Kaine (D-VA); Ben Ray Luján (D-NM); Ed Markey (D-MA); Markwayne Mullin (R-OK); and Susan Collins (R-ME).

“The Older Americans Act is crucial in helping American seniors live healthy and independent lives in the settings they choose,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This legislation strengthens these programs, ensuring they meet the needs of older Americans now and in the future.”

“The Older Americans Act provides federal funding for many essential services for our nation’s seniors including activities to combat loneliness and isolation, job training, protections from abuse, rides to the doctor’s office and grocery store, preventing disease, helping older adults live at home, and supporting our nation’s caregivers,” said Senator Sanders. “Not only does the Older Americans Act save lives and ease human suffering, it saves money. We can choose to continue to waste billions of dollars on emergency room visits and unnecessary hospital stays, or we can provide older Americans with the resources and the services they need to live healthier, more secure, and more dignified lives. In my view, it is our responsibility not simply to reauthorize this legislation and maintain the status quo. It is our responsibility to expand the Older Americans Act so that every vulnerable senior in America can receive the services that they need.”

“I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan legislation to strengthen support for America’s older adults and reaffirm our commitment to helping them enjoy their golden years with dignity and independence. As Chair of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, I understand how essential it is that the more than 59 million older Americans in communities across our nation have access to critical services made possible through the Older Americans Act like nutrition, in-home care, and caregiver support. I was proud to lead a bipartisan resolution recognizing May 2025 as Older Americans Month, and am determined to work alongside my colleagues to see the Older Americans Act quickly reauthorized. Our seniors have spent their lives building and serving this country, and this bill is one way we ensure they continue to be supported, respected, and valued,” said Senator Scott.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

GILLIBRAND INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO END FOOD DESERTS 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference to reintroduce her Healthy Food Financing Initiative Reauthorization Act, legislation to help end food deserts. Food deserts are areas where a significant portion of residents don’t have easy access to a grocery store and affordable, nutritious food. Instead, they are forced to rely on corner and convenience stores, which often sell little to no fresh produce, meat, or dairy, and whose prices are higher than those of a typical supermarket.

Gillibrand’s legislation would provide $50 million annually in mandatory federal funding for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI). HFFI is a USDA program that offers loans and grants to incentivize grocery stores to establish locations in areas where residents lack easy access to fresh food retailers.

“An easily accessible grocery store is a basic necessity, but hundreds of communities across our state don’t have consistent access to one,” said Senator Gillibrand. “That means residents have to travel miles outside their neighborhood just to buy staple groceries, a trip that can take hours on foot or by public transit for those without access to a car. It’s unacceptable. This legislation would provide $50 million each year to a federal program that incentivizes grocers to open new locations or expand existing ones to bring fresh food to areas that need it. It is a commonsense bill that would help communities across our country, and I look forward to working to get it passed.” 

A map of food deserts across New York State is available here.

In New York State, HFFI has provided financial or technical assistance to 4 fresh food retailers in Troy, Rochester, Buffalo, and Brooklyn, as well as dozens more nationwide. A full list of recipients is available here.

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Banner Image: Elderly couple. Image Credit – Sven Mieke