Sponsors
I'll give you the short version of this bill.
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Revises subsection (c)(3)(H) to require the development and provision of technical assistance and training programs for grantees under Title VI, specifying that such programs shall ensure adequate organizational capacity to deliver Title VI services and may include specified topic areas (program management, data development and use, basic business skills, grant development, program and service innovations, and staff training and certification).
Amends section 3057o by striking specified text and by striking and inserting language in paragraphs (1) and (2).
Amends Section 636(b)(2) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 by expanding the scope of 'in-home assistance' to explicitly include home modifications necessary to help older individuals remain at home.
Creates a new Older Americans Tribal Advisory Committee to advise the Assistant Secretary on issues affecting Native American and Native Hawaiian elders, clarifies that "in-home assistance" may include needed home modifications to help older people remain at home, expands technical assistance and training for Title VI grantees, makes small statutory edits, and requires two agency reports to Congress within 180 days on caregiver supports, in‑home services, barriers to Title VI access, and use of Title V funds for older Native Americans.
Establishes the Older Americans Tribal Advisory Committee (referred to as the Committee) within the Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs using amounts appropriated pursuant to section 216(a) to provide advice and guidance to the Assistant Secretary on matters relating to Native Americans under the Older Americans Act.
Directs that the Committee shall facilitate, but not supplant, government-to-government consultation between the Administration under this Act and Indian tribes, and shall confer with organizations representing Native Hawaiians.
Sets the Committee composition at 11 members and specifies who appoints each member: 3 by the Assistant Secretary; 1 each by the chairperson and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs; 1 each by the chairperson and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; 1 each by the chairperson and ranking member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce; and 1 each by the chairperson and ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources.
Requires that nominations for Committee members may come from Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or organizations representing Native Hawaiians.
Directs the Assistant Secretary, to the maximum extent feasible, to work with appointing individuals to ensure the Committee represents diverse expertise across geographic regions, Indian tribes, organizations representing Native Hawaiians, and Native American health and well-being; and that at least one member is an Alaskan Native and at least one member is a Native Hawaiian.
Primary beneficiaries are Native American and Native Hawaiian elders and tribal/tribal-serving organizations. The Tribal Advisory Committee gives tribal leaders and Native Hawaiian representatives a formal vehicle to influence federal aging policy, raising visibility of culturally specific needs. Clarifying that in-home assistance includes home modifications can expand the range of supports older people receive to stay at home, benefiting elders with mobility or accessibility needs and their family caregivers. Title VI grantees (tribal aging programs) should gain increased access to training and capacity-building resources, which can improve program management, data use, grant development, and staff skills. Federal agencies (Administration for Community Living/Assistant Secretary for Aging and Department of Labor) will face short-term analytic and reporting obligations (two reports within 180 days) and longer-term responsibilities to provide technical assistance and respond to committee reports within 45 days. Because the bill does not specify funding, tribes and grantees may need additional resources to implement expanded services and home modifications; otherwise the changes could increase administrative burden without corresponding appropriations. Section 3's unspecified textual edits may be technical, but their effect should be checked once the precise language is available.
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced March 5, 2025 by Lisa Murkowski · Last progress March 5, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced in Senate