Sen. Murray Recognized As “Champion of the 50+” by AARP, Vows to Continue Working to Ensure Washington State Seniors Have Healthy, Secure Retirements

Murray receives award for her bipartisan leadership in reauthorizing the Older Americans Act, landmark legislation supporting social and nutrition services for nearly 12 million U.S. seniors

(Senator Murray receiving “Champion of the 50+” award from AARP Washington)

Murray: “We should be doing everything we can to support our seniors in leading healthy, fulfilling lives”

(Seattle, WA) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) was named a 2016 “Champion of the 50+” by AARP in recognition of her work on behalf of Washington state seniors and leadership in reauthorizing the Older Americans Act (OAA). As the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Murray helped usher OAA through Committee, Senate, and Congressional passage, working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle. The OAA increases investments for programs such as Meals on Wheels, the National Family Caregiver Support Program, and the Senior Community Service and Employment Program, providing resources for senior centers, disease prevention, family caregivers, elder abuse prevention, and other key initiatives.

“We should be doing everything we can to support our seniors in leading healthy, fulfilling lives, and that’s why I am so proud to have worked with AARP and seniors in Washington state to reauthorize the Older Americans Act and fight to make sure federal policies work for our seniors,” Senator Murray said. “By enforcing protections to prevent elder abuse and by expanding crucial programs that serve seniors, this new law sustains and increases invaluable resources going to seniors in Washington state and across the country. I am proud to be a voice for seniors in Washington state, and I look forward to continuing to work with AARP on behalf of seniors for many years to come.”

OAA programs have been enormously important for Washingtonians and seniors across the country. As one example, OAA sustains investment in Meals on Wheels— a critical lifeline for more than more than 460,000 Washington state seniors who depend on this program for food security.

To ensure more seniors can live healthy, financially secure lives in retirement, Senator Murray has also worked to protect Social Security from drastic cuts and has sponsored legislation to enhance benefits for divorced spouses, widows, and widowers and extend benefit eligibility for children of retired, disabled, or deceased workers, or people with disabilities. Senator Murray has also worked to make sure pensions are there for workers when they retire, cut prescription drug costs, and advocated for wellness and preventive services that not only help seniors live healthier lives, but also lower the cost of Medicare.

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