OKC Standard

U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has led his colleagues in expressing concerns over a recent regulation by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The new rule requires states to prioritize delivering Older Americans Act meal and support services based on individuals' sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Older Americans Act (OAA) provides support services and nutrition programs for older Americans, including congregate meal services, home-delivered meals like Meals on Wheels, transportation assistance, and caregiver respite. States are mandated to prioritize these services for those with the "Greatest Social Need" and the "Greatest Economic Need." The Biden-Harris administration's new regulation expands the definition of "Greatest Social Need" to include social isolation caused by sexual orientation and gender identity among other factors. This expansion has not been approved by Congress, leaving state administrators uncertain about compliance.

"The Older Americans Act was designed to fulfill essential services for our seniors, not serve as a vehicle for Kamala Harris’ gender identity politics. This expansion diminishes the prioritization placed on serving rural seniors like those in my state of Oklahoma," said Sen. Mullin. "The Biden-Harris administration has once again expanded bureaucratic overreach without the consent of Congress or any real plan of how states might carry out this regulation. I want to thank my colleagues for recognizing the harm this haphazard expansion will cause and joining me in this effort to reverse it."

Senator Mullin is joined by Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), and Senator James Lankford (R-OK).