From DC is Justice in Aging’s weekly roundup of national news and resources about issues impacting older adults. To receive From DC in your inbox as soon as its published, sign up for our mailing list.
Here’s what we’re watching in Washington:
Take Action to Protect HUD
Monday, March 10 will be a day of action to protect the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its programs.
The Trump Administration is planning to terminate at least 50% of HUD employees, with many of the steepest cuts in offices that advance fair housing and oversee housing and homeless assistance.
HUD’s federal rental assistance programs, such as Housing Choice (“Section 8”) Vouchers, serve over two million low-income older adults. Mass terminations at HUD would endanger critical programs and lead to more evictions and homelessness across the country.
Explore how federal housing programs support your state and participate in Monday’s day of action by contacting your members of Congress. Organizations can also sign onto a national letter urging Congress to protect HUD. The deadline for sign-ons is Tuesday, March 11.
HHS Rescinds Notice and Comment Policy for Some Rulemaking
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a significant policy shift, stating that it will no longer provide the opportunity for public comment on rules addressing grants, benefits, or contracts.
This action rescinded a five-decade-long policy, known as the Richardson Waiver, that was put in place to provide greater transparency and public participation in rulemaking for Medicaid and Medicare.
The impact of this change will differ across programs and specific rulemaking. For example, notice and comment is required by statute for many Medicare rules. However, this change could reduce public input on policies that directly affect older adults’ health and well-being.
Justice in Aging will continue to monitor for any impacts on older adults and provide updates moving forward.
Read more about HHS’ policy reversal here.
Congress Negotiating FY25 Spending Bills
Congress is negotiating spending bills for Fiscal Year 2025, with the current temporary spending bill (known as a continuing resolution, or CR) set to expire next week on March 14.
The appropriations process and the CR are separate from budget reconciliation, through which Republicans voted to make massive cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Annual spending bills passed through the appropriations process fund a variety of programs, such as Older Americans Act (OAA) programs and federal rental assistance.
OAA programs are a lifeline and critical resource for nearly 11 million older adults and their family caregivers. They support the health, dignity, and independence of older adults, and they include legal assistance, nutrition services, senior center programs, caregiver support, and more.
Justice in Aging is continuing to urge Congress to protect funding for all OAA programs. USAging has information and templates that advocates and providers can use to ask lawmakers to protect and fund OAA programs.
We are also urging Congress to provide increased funding for housing and homeless assistance programs. Homelessness is at an all-time high, with older adults comprising almost one in five people who are unhoused. Use these resources by the National Low Income Housing Coalition to contact Congress about the importance of funding housing and homeless assistance.
HUD Releases IFR on Fair Housing
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently published an interim final rule (IFR) on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) includes a statutory duty for HUD and its grantees to “affirmatively further fair housing,” and various HUD rules or proposed rules over the years have tried to define this responsibility. AFFH is an important tool for addressing disparities in housing access for marginalized communities.
The new IFR, however, imposes minimal AFFH requirements on HUD grantees and weakens existing fair housing requirements. This new rule repeals the Biden-era 2021 IFR on AFFH, and the new IFR will go into effect on April 2, 2025. HUD is accepting comments on the IFR until May 2, 2025.
New Justice in Aging Resources
- Statement: English Language Executive Order Erodes Protections (03/06)
- Fact Sheet and Issue Brief: A Cut to Medicaid is a Cut to Medicare (03/04)
- Statement: Social Security Services Under Threat (02/28)
- Statement: House Vote Targets Medicaid for Drastic Cuts (02/26)
- Fact Sheet: Trump’s Plan to Slash Medicaid Will Harm Older Women – And the Economy (02/25)
- Advocates Guide: 25 Common Nursing Home Problems—& How to Resolve Them (Updated 02/24)
- Fact Sheet: Federal Cuts to Medicaid Will Harm Older Californians on Medi-Cal (02/20)
- Issue Brief: How Medicaid Funding Caps Would Harm Older Adults (02/13)
- Comment Letter: 23 Organizations Advocate for Older Adults and Disabled People of Color to be Represented in California’s Racial Equity Commission Framework (02/13)
- Comment Letter: Justice in Aging Advance Notice Comments CY 2026 for MA Capitation Rates and Part C and D Payment Policies (02/10)
Upcoming Justice in Aging Webinars
- Campos et al. v. Kijakazi Settlement Agreement: What SSI Advocates Need to Know (03/11)
- Medicaid on the Chopping Block: Advocacy Updates (03/25)
Justice in Aging Webinar Recordings
- Medi-Cal HCBS: Why Medi-Cal is Critical for Older Adults (03/04)
- Trump’s First 30 Days: What LGBTQ+ Older People Need to Know (02/20) (via SAGE)
- Reconciliation and the Possibility of $800 Billion in Cuts to Medicaid (02/12) (via Consumer Voice)
