H.R. 468
Background (What circumstances necessitate Congressional action?/ What happened to the Bill in Congress? Did it pass, or die in committee?):
The growing population of elderly Americans has caused Congress to try and pass a Bill to increase and train all sectors of the health care workforce in elderly care. The Aging America Act of 2009 amends the Public Health Service Act to require an expansion of training for health professionals in the field of geriatrics. This Bill also requires the development of core training programs for personal and home health care aides. This Bill is still in the process as it has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Education and Labor.
Goal of Action:
To better educate the current workforce in the care of elderly U.S. citizens.
Specifics/ Means of the goal:
An increase in spending by the National Institutes of Health on conditions and illnesses affecting the health of older Americans would help to educate workers. The Bill is also hoping to establish a panel of long-term care health experts to help family caregivers and personal home health aides.
Type of Power (Is Congress acting according to an expressed or implied power? If it is implied, what expressed power grants it?):
This is an implied power which is not stated directly in the Constitution, but is under the Elastic Clause. This allows Congress to do whatever is "necessary and proper" and they believe in bettering the care for our elderly population.
Analysis (Do you think Congress should do this according to its Constitutional Powers):
Yes, I believe that an increase in the workforce caring for our elderly will in turn allow more people to trust in assisted living and nursing home facilities. Also, most people have loved ones who are elderly and they would want them to receive the best care possible. This Bill is well within the rights of Congress since it is dealing with the care of U.S. citizens.
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2 comments:
I agree that congress should have the power to improve the care of elderly people. Everyone deserves the full rights of a U.S. citizen and as people get older and many of these freedoms seem to be taken away, it is important that elderly people are taken care of as well as possible in order to reassure their rights.
I think this bill is really important because we need to improve our care for elderly people. We need to help care for them when they no longer can care for themselves. This bill is for a good cause and I hope that it passes.
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