S.Res. 137 — Agreed to in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 137 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 9, 2013 Mr. Nelson (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Coons) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating May 2013 as Older Americans Month. Whereas President John F. Kennedy first designated May as Senior Citizens Month in 1963; Whereas, in 1963, only 17,000,000 living people in the United States had reached their 65th birthday, approximately 1/3 of older people in the United States lived in poverty, and there were few programs to meet the needs of older people in the United States; Whereas, as of 2013, there are more than 41,000,000 people in the United States who are 65 years of age or older; Whereas, as of 2013, there are more than 9,000,000 veterans of the Armed Forces who are 65 years of age or older; Whereas older people in the United States rely on Federal programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and, in the case of veterans, TRICARE and the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs, for financial security and high-quality, affordable health care; Whereas the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) provides federally funded community-based social services and nutritional support programs to nearly 2,600,000 older people in the United States each year; Whereas many people in the United States are living longer, working longer, and enjoying healthier, more active lifestyles than in past generations; Whereas older people play an important role by continuing to contribute experience, knowledge, wisdom, and accomplishments; Whereas older people are active community members involved in volunteering, mentorship, arts and culture, and civic engagement; and Whereas recognizing the successes of older people in the community encourages ongoing participation and further accomplishments: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) designates May 2013 as Older Americans Month; (2) recognizes May 2013 as the 50th anniversary of Older Americans Month; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to provide opportunities for older people to continue to flourish by— (A) emphasizing the importance of older people and their leadership by publicly recognizing their continued achievements; (B) presenting opportunities for older people to share their wisdom, experience, and skills; and (C) recognizing older people as a valuable asset in strengthening the communities of the United States.