The Congress finds that the older individuals who are Indians of the United States—
(1) are a rapidly increasing population;
(2) suffer from high unemployment;
(3) live in poverty at a rate estimated to be as high as 61 percent;
(4) have a life expectancy between 3 and 4 years less than the general population;
(5) lack sufficient nursing homes, other long-term care facilities, and other health care facilities;
(6) lack sufficient Indian area agencies on aging;
(7) frequently live in substandard and over-crowded housing;
(8) receive less than adequate health care;
(9) are served under this subchapter at a rate of less than 19 percent of the total national population of older individuals who are Indians living on Indian reservations; and
(10) are served under subchapter III at a rate of less than 1 percent of the total participants under that subchapter.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 3057b, Pub. L. 89–73, title VI, §603, as added Pub. L. 95–478, title I, §106, Oct. 18, 1978, 92 Stat. 1549; amended Pub. L. 97–115, §§3(d), 13(a), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1597, 1608, related to authority of Commissioner to make grants to pay all costs for delivery of supportive services and nutritional services for older Indians, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by Pub. L. 100–175. See section 3057d of this title.
A prior section 603 of Pub. L. 89–73, title VI, as added Pub. L. 91–69, §9, Sept. 17, 1969, 83 Stat. 112; amended Pub. L. 93–29, title VI, §602, May 3, 1973, 87 Stat. 55, related to authorization of appropriations and was classified to section 3044a of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 93–113, title VI, §604(a), Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 417.
Amendments
2020—Pub. L. 116–131 struck out "(a)" before "The Congress" in introductory provisions.
1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–375, §904(a)(21)(A), inserted "individuals who are" after "older" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 102–375, §904(a)(21)(B), substituted "population of older individuals who are Indians" for "Indian elderly population".
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1987, except not applicable with respect to any area plan submitted under section 3026(a) of this title or any State plan submitted under section 3027(a) of this title and approved for any fiscal year beginning before Nov. 29, 1987, see section 701(a), (b) of Pub. L. 100–175, set out as an Effective Date of 1987 Amendment note under section 3001 of this title.
Task Force
Pub. L. 100–175, title I, §134(d), Nov. 29, 1987, 101 Stat. 941, provided that:
"(1) The Commissioner on Aging [now Assistant Secretary for Aging] shall establish a permanent interagency task force that is representative of departments and agencies of the Federal Government with an interest in older Indians and their welfare, and is designed to make recommendations with respect to facilitating the coordination of services and the improvement of services to older Indians.
"(2) The task force shall be chaired by the Associate Commissioner on [now Director of the Office for] American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Aging and shall submit its findings and recommendations to the Commissioner at 6-month intervals beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 29, 1987]. Such findings and recommendations shall be included in the annual report required by section 207(a) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. 3018(a)] to be submitted by the Commissioner."
Special Report on Services for Older Indians
Pub. L. 100–175, title I, §134(e), Nov. 29, 1987, 101 Stat. 942, directed Commissioner on Aging to enter into a contract with a public agency or nonprofit private organization to conduct a thorough study of availability and quality of services under the Older Americans Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq., to older Indians and, not later than Dec. 31, 1988, submit to Congress a report and recommendations based on the study.