Thursday, December 21, 2017

U.S. Rep. Castor’s bill to help caregivers nationwide passes U.S. House

By Kathy Castor (D-FL, 14th)



Washington, D.C. - December 21, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The U.S. House of Representatives passed the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, introduced by U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor and Gregg Harper (MS3), which marks a major step in addressing the nation’s role of caregivers. The Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act is landmark legislation strongly endorsed by the AARP that will finally give caregivers the recognition they deserve.

U.S. Rep. Castor said: “The passage of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act that I introduced with U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS), and U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) will hopefully bring additional support and resources to family caregivers across America. All too often, caregivers are forced to sacrifice jobs and wages to take care of an aging family member or child with special needs. Caregivers often have little or no support themselves. In Florida, almost 3 million caregivers provide more than 2.6 billion hours of care. This bill would establish a diverse group of experts and stakeholders for a national Family Caregiving Advisory Council to help modernize federal policies and support caregivers. I have worked closely with the AARP on this legislation to implement the federal Commission on Long-Term Care’s recommendation that Congress bolster backing for caregivers through an integrated national strategy. Improving the lives of caregivers will improve the lives of our seniors, veterans and all families who need some help. We must give family caregivers the tools they need to survive economically, provide some respite when they need it, and importantly ensure that their loved ones receive the care they need. We have made much progress in recent years in elevating the role of caregivers, but as the complexity and intensity of family caregiving increases, a nationwide blueprint will help boost families, and ensure we are smart and efficient with our resources.”


View U.S. Rep. Castor’s remarks on the RAISE Family Caregivers Act before its passage yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives.


View U.S. Rep. Castor’s recent op-ed on RAISE Family Caregivers Act



This just goes to prove that sometimes Democrats have good ideas.

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