As a Boomer generation teen, were you an activist? Did you yell and scream about the Vietnam War, march for Civil Rights, walk out of your high school protesting the cafeteria food? We are the generation of movers and shakers.

I was a quiet activist. I created care packages to send to Vietnam. I wore several POW bracelets. I had loud and angry debates with my father about Vietnam, civil rights, and a host of other injustices I saw and read about.

As seniors, we can't stop now. We are a large population and we have a voice. We need to use that voice to advocate for programs that benefit older Americans. 

The Seniors Action Network has outlined three major initiatives that seniors need to be aware of and work toward.

1. Affordable senior housing - more funding is needed to renew all Section 202 Housing for the Elderly homes and oppose rent hikes on senior residents of HUD housing.

2. Quality senior living and care communities

3. Removing barriers to Medicare and Medicaid

Each of these initiatives has some form of legislative action pending. And it's been pending, and pending, and pending. Voices and votes are needed to move the legislation forward.

Do you know how your legislators vote on elder care topics? You can find out. If you Google "how legislators vote" you can find roll call votes. By searching elder in that site you can get a lot of information - where a bill stands, who voted how, who introduced bills related to seniors. Find out even more by searching under medicare and social security. 

Most of the bills related to seniors don't make the headlines in this volatile political environment. We need to have vigilence and work toward senior goals. Some examples you might be interested in are below.

H.R. 2922 was introduced on 4/30/2021. It is the Elder Abuse Protection Act. This bill has passed the House. The last action taken was A YEAR AGO. On 6/24/2021, the bill was received in the Senate, read twice, and passed to the Committee on the Judiciary. And there it sits.

H. R. 1565. This bill establishes the Senior Investor Taskforce within the Securities and Exchange Commission. The taskforce must report on topics relating to investors over the age of 65, including industry trends and serious issues impacting such investors, and make recommendations for legislative or regulatory actions to address problems encountered by senior investors. The Government Accountability Office must report on the financial exploitation of senior citizens. This bill passed the house and has been sitting in committee in the Senate since 4/20/2021.

H. R. 5099 - Lowering Medicare Premiums and Prescription Drug Costs Act. This bill was introduced in the house in 2021, and referred to the Subcommitte on Health 8/24/2021. Still there. 

H.R. 4453 - No Tax on Social Security Act of 2021. The bill was introduced in the House on 7/16/2021 and referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security on the same date. And it sits. 

H. R. 5215 - Social Security Stabilization and Enhancement Act. This bill increases benefits and certain taxes related to the Social Security program. Changes to benefits include (1) increasing the primary insurance amount for certain beneficiaries; (2) revising the method of calculating cost-of-living adjustments; (3) establishing a new minimum benefit for certain low earners; and (4) allowing certain children of retired, deceased, or disabled workers to receive benefits until age 22 if they are a full-time student. Changes to taxes include increasing the net investment income tax for certain taxpayers (income to be raised to $250,000). Introduced into the house 9/10/2021 and passed to the Subcommttee on Social Security on 9/13/2021. Still there.

This is just a sampling. The media doesn't cover these bills unless there's some upheaval in Congress over the bill. How about we start some upheavals? 

Keep track of how your congressmen vote on eldercare and social security measures. Are they on these subcommittees that are sitting on bills? Challenge them during campaigns on senior issues. 

You have a voice. Use it.