UPDATE: House Passes EMPOWER for Health Act, Which Moves to Senate on Road to Supporting Us All as We Age
New York (Oct. 28, 2019)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) congratulates the U.S. House of Representatives, which within hours of bringing the legislation to the floor approved by voice vote the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act of 2019 (H.R. 2781) championed by Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Michael Burgess (R-TX). The bill, which received early, widespread bipartisan support as a critical measure to support health for all Americans as we age, now moves to the U.S. Senate, where AGS experts have advocated ardently for swift passage to ensure appropriate supports for older Americans.
“The future we’re working for at the AGS—a future when all older Americans have access to high-quality, person-centered care—begins by building the workforce to make that possible, and by ensuring that workforce can connect us to the tools and supports we need as we grow older together,” observed Nancy E. Lundebjerg, MPA. CEO of the AGS. “The EMPOWER for Health Act will make that possible by supporting two training programs that are as critical to our future as they are widely supported, thanks in large part to the bipartisan efforts that will make this bill law.”