Iowa AARP Leaders Push Caregiving and Social Security on Capitol Hill

This week, AARP Iowa volunteers and staff were in Washington, D.C. with a contingent of AARP leaders and members from across the county to advocate on behalf of AARP members and all older Americans on the crucial issues of Family Caregiving and Social Security.

 

In meetings with members of the House and Senate on Wednesday, June 8, AARP volunteers and staff from every state urged their members of Congress to recognize the importance of caregiving and Social Security on the future of American families with two key asks:

• To support the bipartisan legislation in the House and Senate to help family caregivers: the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act and the Credit for Caring Act. They also enlisted members of the House and Senate to join the bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus.
• On the important issue of Social Security, to promote a dialogue about how Congress can bring about legislative action to keep Social Security strong for future generations.

Family Caregiving

“Most of us have been or will be a family caregiver,” said AARP Iowa executive council member, Joe Marquart of Cedar Falls, who met with Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, Sen. Joni Ernst and Rep. David Young. “Since family caregivers make up the backbone of services for most people, we need more private and public sector solutions that help support those who give care and the people who receive the care. We expect this ageless, nonpartisan issue to continue to grow in importance.”

In Iowa, 317,000 family caregivers annually provide unpaid care valued at 3.86 billion. In recent years, about 40 million family caregivers in the nation have provided unpaid care valued at $470 billion annually, more than total Medicaid spending. Family caregivers also help delay or prevent more costly institutional care and unnecessary hospitalizations, saving taxpayer dollars. They help with daily activities including bathing, dressing, meal preparation, managing medications and transportation.

There are several efforts currently in discussion on Capitol Hill that would help give family caregivers some the support they need.

The bipartisan RAISE Family Caregivers Act requires the development of a national strategy to support family caregivers. The bill, introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), has already passed in the Senate. We appreciate Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for supporting the bill. The House bill, introduced by Representatives Gregg Harper (R-MS) and Kathy Castor (D-FL), has over 60 cosponsors. AARP is urging the House to pass the legislation.

The bipartisan Credit for Caring Act would provide a federal tax credit for eligible working family caregivers caring for loved ones of all ages. The legislation was introduced by US Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in the Senate and Representatives Tom Reed (R-NY) and Linda Sánchez (D-CA) in the House.

Additionally, the congressional ACT Caucus serves as a forum to engage members of the House and Senate on family caregiving and independent living by exchanging ideas and building bipartisan relationships that can lead to solutions. Co-chaired by US Senators, Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Representatives, Diane Black (R-TN) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), it has over 40 bipartisan members in the House and Senate. AARP staff and volunteers seek to expand this important group.

Social Security

AARP Iowa has been a long-time champion of Social Security, as it is so important to our members, older Americans, their families and future generations. Our work to ensure Social Security’s Trust Fund solvency and adequate benefits continued on this day of issue advocacy.

"We want to promote a dialogue about what can be done together to bring about legislative action in the near future to ensure that Social Security is financially sound and provides adequate benefits for future generations," said AARP Iowa State Director Kent Sovern, who with Marquart talked with Iowa Congressional leaders Sen. Grassley, Sen. Ernst and Rep. Young during AARP's national lobby day. "To help spur this dialogue moving forward, we shared our principles for Social Security adequacy and solvency with the members of Congress we were able to meet with this week, and will be meeting with the rest of the delegation on this issue, as well," Sovern added.

Separate from advocating in Congress, as the election unfolds, AARP Iowa volunteers will seek to engage all candidates running for federal office, including those running for President and Congress on the issue of ensuring Social Security solvency and adequacy for current and future generations.

“Social Security remains a key issue for AARP members and older Americans,” Sovern said. “Anyone running for office this year owes it to voters to say if he or she has a plan to solve the issues that impact Social Security’s future.”