Public Policy & Action

• Federal Funding for Seniors Programs
• Older Americans Act
• Long-Term Services & Supports
• Health Care Reform
• Our Positions
• Advocacy Toolkit

Resources

For Professionals

• SNAP Food Benefits at Risk for Cuts
• House Budget Reconciliation Sets Disturbing Precedent for Seniors Programs
• 5 Key Facts Must Inform the Medicare Reform Debate
• SCSEP Targeted in Workforce Investment Act Proposal
• Senators to Voice their Support for OAA Reauthorization at Capitol Hill Briefing
• State Advocate Experiences and Engagement in Duals Integration
• Prescription for Life: Building Community Partnerships to Promote Physical Activity and Social Engagement for Older Adults

For Older Adults and Caregivers

• Long-Term Services & Supports: Candidate Survey
• Benefits Access: Fact Sheet

For Advocates

• SNAP Food Benefits at Risk for Cuts
• House Budget Reconciliation Sets Disturbing Precedent for Seniors Programs
• Preventing Funding Cuts for Healthy Aging Programs: What You Can Do to Help

Advocacy Toolkit: Federal Funding for Seniors Programs

Congress is debating ways to cut the federal deficit. Help us make sure that deficit reduction does not come at the expense of programs that serve vulnerable older adults.

Act

Now is the time to meet with your members of Congress to make your voice heard on this issue. Use our resources and talking points to get started.

4 Steps to Connect with Your Lawmakers

1. Find your legislators' contact information using our online look-up service. Be sure to click on "expand" next to each individual's listing to get links to their Facebook and Twitter pages and phone numbers for their local office(s).
2. Prepare for an in-person meeting using our 10 tips.
3. Attend a town hall meeting if there's one in your area and use our checklist to get the most of the event.
4. Tell us how it went by completing our quick online survey. Your response will help us track our advocacy efforts.

Talking Points

1. Let’s not balance the budget on the backs of America’s vulnerable and disadvantaged seniors. 
2. Proposals to drastically cut and place spending caps on community service programs like the Older Americans Act could abolish jobs, housing, and volunteer programs for seniors in need.
3. We need to reduce the deficit in a balanced way with broad, shared sacrifices—including defense spending and revenues—not with unfair, drastic cuts that target seniors and others who are already struggling to make ends meet.

Learn

• Federal Funding for Seniors Programs
  Read more about what's at stake and what NCOA and other organizations are saying about the debt ceiling and FY12 budget proposals.
• Policy Basics: Introduction to the Federal Budget Process
  Understand the difference between a budget request and a budget resolution, from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
• The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction
  Learn the basics about Congress’ role in allocating annual federal spending, and how authorizations aren’t the same as appropriations.

Share

• Visit our One Away campaign to watch videos and share stories of real seniors who are struggling to make ends meet.

want to live in a country where

older adults don't have to choose between paying for medicine or food.