Government watch 2012 financial security and consumer affairs archive

C: To the Department of Labor (DOL) generally in support of requiring most employers of home care and home health aides to be paid minimum wage and overtime for the invaluable work they do

to enable older adults to stay in their homes. The letter also identifies key points on which AARP advocates changes to make the regulations more user-friendly and more responsive to the

needs of care consumers and their family caregivers. (March 21) PDF L: To all House and Senate Chiefs of Staff, Health Legislative Aides and Social Security Legislative Aides to inform them

of the “You’ve Earned a Say” launch on March 19. (March 15) PDF L: To the Senate in opposition to the lack of investor protections in H.R. 3606, the House-passed JOBS bill. We also urge for

the support of an amendment offered by Senators Reed (D-RI), Landrieu (D-LA) and Levin (D-MI). (March 15) PDF L: To Senators Harkin (D-IA) and Grassley (R-IA), plus Sen. Leahy (D-VT), to

endorse S. 2189 "Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act," a bipartisan bill that will abrogate the Supreme Court’s 2009 decision in _Gross v. FBL Financial Services,

Inc_. (March 13) PDF L: To Senate Leadership that expressed AARP's concern with two bills in a package of proposed legislation that purported to enhance small-business capital formation

and hence promote job creation. We express reservations over the lessening of certain consumer protections to achieve this objective. The bills involve precautions in the initial offerings

of stock in small companies that do not receive the same oversight as larger offering, an area that has been particularly troubling to seniors in the past. (March 6) PDF FEBRUARY L: To the

Chairs and Ranking Members of the full Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee expressing opposition to an amendment to the

Senate transportation authorization bill by Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA) that would eliminate the national standard for the retro-reflectivity of traffic signs. (Feb. 20) PDF L: To the Rules

Committee to make in order four amendments offered by Reps. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Russ Carnahan (D-MO) that include elements of the just-introduced House companion bill (HR 4028) to the

Sen. Kohl (D-WI)-sponsored and AARP-endorsed “Senior Transportation and Mobility Improvement Act.” (Feb. 14) PDF L: To all Senators in support of the National Surface Transportation and

Freight Policy Act section of the Commerce bill, which contains a complete streets provision. (Feb. 14) PDF L: To Senators Cardin (D-MD) and Cochran (R-MS) in support of an amendment that

directs funding to local governments for pedestrian and bicycle complete streets-type projects. (Feb. 13) PDF L: To the Chairs of the Conference Committee urging them to include, in any

Conference Committee agreement, legislation to address the impending Medicare physician payment cuts, support a “clean” extension of unemployment insurance benefit, and oppose several

elements of the House bill that would disproportionately hurt older workers. (Feb. 13) PDF L: To the House Ways and Means Committee opposing the removal of transit funding from the motor

fuels tax in the House Ways and Means Committee transportation finance bill. (Feb. 2) PDF JANUARY C: To Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regarding the proposal "Disparate Impacts of

the Federal Housing Act's Discriminatory Effects Standard." (Jan. 17) PDF T: To the Senate Banking Committee’s Economic Policy Subcommittee, a statement for the record of its

hearing titled, "Retirement (in)Security: Examining the Retirement Saving Deficit." (March 28) PDF L: To Senate Leadership that expressed AARP's concern with two bills in a

package of proposed legislation that purported to enhance small-business capital formation and hence promote job creation. We express reservations over the lessening of certain consumer

protections to achieve this objective. The bills involve precautions in the initial offerings of stock in small companies that do not receive the same oversight as larger offering, an area

that has been particularly troubling to seniors in the past. (March 6) PDF L: To Senators Cardin (D-MD) and Cochran (R-MS) in support of an amendment that directs funding to local

governments for pedestrian and bicycle complete streets-type projects. (Feb. 13) PDF L: To the Chairs of the Conference Committee urging them to include, in any Conference Committee

agreement, legislation to address the impending Medicare physician payment cuts, support a “clean” extension of unemployment insurance benefit, and oppose several elements of the House bill

that would disproportionately hurt older workers. (Feb. 13) PDF L: To the House Ways and Means Committee opposing the removal of transit funding from the motor fuels tax in the House Ways

and Means Committee transportation finance bill. (Feb. 2) PDF