ESTABLISHING A SELECT COMMITTEE ON AGING

ESTABLISHING A SELECT COMMITTEE ON AGING

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2584-H2585] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ESTABLISHING A SELECT COMMITTEE ON AGING (Mr. MAGAZINER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. MAGAZINER. Mr. Speaker, there are more than 60 million Americans aged 65 and older, nearly 20 percent of our population. Older Americans face a range of challenges: dealing with rising costs on a fixed income; getting access to the care they need, housing, and transportation; dealing with scams and elder abuse; and more. That is why we must reestablish the Select Committee on Aging in the House of Representatives, to ensure that older Americans' needs are being looked at holistically by this body. The committee existed from 1974 to 1994. Its work led to the passage of legislation to make nursing homes safer, increase home care benefits, improve research and care of Alzheimer's, and more. It is time to bring it back. Along with Republican Representative Maria Salazar of Florida, I am reintroducing a bipartisan bill to do just that. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it for today's seniors and for future generations. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include this article in support of the bill in the Congressional Record. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Rhode Island? There was no objection. [February 9, 2026] Bipartisan Push To Restore House Permanent Select Committee on Aging (By Herb Weiss) Magaziner Again Pushes House to Restore Aging Panel According to Meals on Wheels America, every day, 12,000 Americans turn 60. By the end of this decade, one in four Americans will be over 60--an irreversible and historic change in population. Yet even as the nation ages, older Americans remain without a permanent seat at the House legislative table to shape aging policy. In 1993, during the 103rd Congress, the House Permanent Select Committee on Aging (HSCoA) was dismantled as part of a budget-cutting push by House Democratic leadership, which stripped $1.5 million from its funding. From 1974 to 1993, the committee had served as Congress's primary forum for aging issues, initially with 35 members and ultimately expanding to 65. Looking back, the HSCoA had handled a heavy workload, carefully scheduling hearings and issuing a steady stream of reports. In a March 31, 1993 St. Petersburg Times article, Staff Director Brian Lutz of the Subcommittee on Retirement Income and Employment reported that during its 18 years of existence, the House Aging Committee had been responsible for about 1,000 hearings and reports. Sixth Time Could Be the Charm Since its elimination, House lawmakers have made four attempts to reestablish the committee. Former Rep. David Cicilline first introduced a resolution during the 114th Congress, with efforts continuing through the 117th. In the 118th Congress, Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) picked up the baton and revived the initiative. On January 21, 2026, he once again introduced House Resolution 1013 to restore the panel--this time with bipartisan support, including original cosponsor Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL). At press time, the resolution had been referred to the House Committee on Rules for markup prior to consideration by the full House. No Senate action is required. More than 30 years later, as the older population surges, Congress's failure to reinstate a dedicated aging committee is no longer merely an oversight--it is an increasingly costly mistake. ``lt is about time--or really past time--for the House to re-establish the HSCoA, says Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), who served as staff director of the Senate Special Committee on Aging in the late 1980s. Richtman says that a re-established HCoA would be of tremendous value to older Americans, because it could conduct investigations and develop legislation for the committees of jurisdiction in the House to take up, as the Senate committee historically has done. ``We need an HSCoA in the House because its full-time job would be to safeguard the interests of seniors. There is no other House committee that can do that.'' Richtman notes that, without an HSCoA, it can be challenging for other House committees to fully review senior-related issues ``that cross jurisdictional lines or involve complex interactions of a wide range of disciplines.'' Opponents argue that eliminating the HSCoA reduced wasteful spending, noting that 12 standing committees already have jurisdiction over aging-related issues. Advocates counter that these committees lack the time, staffing, and singular focus needed to examine aging issues comprehensively, as the select committee once did. ``Older Americans are an important and growing part of our population, and they deserve a seat at the table when Congress considers issues that directly affect their lives,'' said Rep. Magaziner. ``Protecting Social Security and Medicare, strengthening housing stability, and lowering everyday costs--including prescription drugs--highlight the need for a dedicated committee focused on improving seniors' quality of life.'' [[Page H2585]] ``I am proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to reestablish the House Permanent Select Committee on Aging so we can better deliver for older Americans nationwide, he added. ``This committee would bring members of Congress together for meaningful work on the challenges and opportunities that come with aging, and I remain committed to working across the aisle to advance this effort.'' Magaziner has acknowledged entrenched opposition from senior committee leaders of both parties who are reluctant to cede jurisdiction. Nevertheless, he remains committed. ``I will continue working to ensure older Americans have the focused advocacy they deserve in Congress,'' he pledged. Magaziner's resolution has been endorsed by the Legislative Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO), a national coalition of advocacy groups currently chaired by Richtman and NCPSSM. ``The Select Committee would have an opportunity to more fully explore a range of issues and innovations that cross jurisdictional lines, while holding field hearings, engaging communities, and promoting understanding and dialogue,'' said LCAO in a letter supporting the resolution. An Easy Fix According to the Congressional Research Service, creating a temporary or permanent select committee requires only a simple resolution establishing its purpose, defining membership, and outlining responsibilities. Funding for staff salaries and operational expenses are authorized through the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. Magaziner's 203-word resolution, amends House rules to establish a Permanent Select Committee on Aging. The committee, having no legislative authority, would be charged with conducting comprehensive studies of aging issues-- including income, poverty, housing, health, employment, education, recreation, and long-term care--to inform legislation considered by standing committees. It would also encourage public and private programs that support older Americans' participation in national life, coordinate governmental and private initiatives, and review recommendations from the President or the White House Conference on Aging. Aging policy touches nearly every aspect of American life, yet it does not fall neatly within the jurisdiction of any single standing committee. Depending on the legislative, five to seven standing committees may draft a bill affecting older Americans. Without an HSCoA, pressing aging issues may be ignored. A focused committee would bring together Republican and Democratic lawmakers from multiple committees to closely comprehensively examine legislative proposals, both transparently, and responsibly. While standing committees draft legislation, the HSCoA would serve a distinct but equally vital role--providing oversight, public education, and keeping the spotlight on aging issues. Key priorities include ensuring the solvency of Social Security and Medicare, lowering prescription drug costs, supporting family caregivers, combating elder fraud, and addressing affordable housing, healthcare access, and social isolation. For more than 60 years, the Senate has recognized the value of its Special Committee on Aging. The House once did as well--producing lasting, bipartisan results. The People's House should reclaim that leadership, particularly as older Americans face rising costs, employment barriers, and growing loneliness. Capitol Veterans Speak Out to Bring Back HSCoA According to Bob Weiner, former HSCoA chief of staff during the tenure of the late Rep. Claude Pepper (D-FL) his tenure as select committee chair, the legislative panel elevated aging issues that otherwise struggled to gain sustained attention in Congress. ``The bill stopping end to mandatory retirement would never have happened,'' says Weiner who was a confidant of Chairman Pepper. He recalls how it unfolded: ``Chair Pepper and the committee got the President and Congress to abolish age-based discrimination in employment and mandatory retirement. President Carter invited the entire committee to the White House and later signed the bill with a powerful statement.'' ``Pepper even went to the Bush and Reagan administrations and said, `Over my dead body' would Social Security be cut or privatized'' Weiner added. If reestablished today, Weiner believes the committee should draw lessons from its past. ``We need full-scale investigations into fraud and scams, along with strong protections for Social Security and the Older Americans Act,'' he said. He also argues the committee could play a critical oversight role in accelerating research into Alzheimer's dise

Referenced legislation: HRES1013