The U.S. House of Representatives voted 357-70 last week to pass H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, a $78 billion tax package negotiated by House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR). It will next be considered by the U.S. Senate.

The package would repurpose all remaining funding from the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), to help pay for a limited expansion of the child tax credit and reinstatement of lapsed business tax deductions, some of which may be applicable to senior living communities, including:

The Senate is expected to hold an initial vote tomorrow on a $118 billion border security and international aid supplemental legislation, which includes the bipartisan immigration agreement led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and James Lankford (R-OK). While the bill contains modest improvements in immigration reforms that Argentum has advanced to help with the workforce shortage crisis, it is unlikely the bill has enough support to advance in either the House or Senate.

Unfortunately, the package does not adequately address the critical need of health care and direct care workers in the United States, as Argentum identified in a report issued last year (Workforce Projections for Senior Care), which shows a current shortage of more than 400,000 workers in long-term care that is projected to grow to more than 20 million workers by 2040. Argentum has pushed for common-senses policy solutions to address these workforce needs through our foreign-born worker task force and with the Tent Partnership for Refugees.

The package would allow for expedited deportation of undocumented migrants, tighten asylum application requirements, and increase funding for border security personnel. Major provisions of the Senate legislation include:

Following last week's Senate Aging Committee hearing on assisted living and on the heels of recent media coverage of our industry, its more important than ever to tell our story. Here's how you can help:

1. Register for the Public Policy Institute (early bird deadline is today!) The Public Policy Institute takes place from March 11-13 in Washington, DC. We strongly urge everyone to register for this influential event. We'll have the opportunity to connect with policymakers, share success stories, and demonstrate the vital role our industry plays in supporting seniors' well-being. Don't wait! Today, January 31, is the LAST DAY to secure the best rate for attendance.
   
   
2. Send a message to your Senators and the Aging Committee. Aging Committee Chairman Bob Casey has requested stories from families. It's important that you share your story in both of these platforms:
   1. Our grassroots campaign “Why I Love My Assisted Living Community” where your story will go directly to your U.S. Senators offices.
   2. The Committee's website, Assisted Living Bills, where lawmakers have specifically asked to hear from stakeholders. We want them to hear your positive stories!
      
      
3. Pledge to Join the Fight. Corporate contributions to the Advocacy Fund provide Argentum with resources to implement a robust public policy strategy at both the Federal and state levels on behalf of the senior living industry. Learn more about the Advocacy Fund and make a pledge today to proactively help shape the future of senior living.
   

Earlier today, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held its first hearing focused specifically on assisted living in more than twenty-years. The hearing included discussion on long-term care affordability and transparency, workforce challenges, the role of private investment and government oversight, and national standards, among other issues. To learn more about the hearing and how Argentum is responding, Argentum Advocates are invited to join us for our monthly policy briefing, next Wednesday, January 31 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Argentum Advocates Member Briefing
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
2:00 PM ET

This Thursday, January 25 at 10:00 am ET, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging will hold a hearing, "Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding Long-Term Care Options for Older Adults." This will be the first hearing the Aging Committee has held in more than twenty-years specifically focused on assisted living.

Ahead of the hearing, we want to make sure that Senators hear from assisted living residents, family members, and other supporters on why they love assisted living and what makes it so special. It is important that lawmakers hear your personal stories, why you chose assisted living for yourself or a loved one, what makes your community a home, and how your care team is like family. You may also consider sharing how assisted living has helped improve quality of life, health outcomes and outlook, and if it has helped support your family's role as caregivers.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host an Application Office Hour on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. ET for the "Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience" (GUIDE) model. The session will provide a brief overview of the GUIDE model and offer a forum to address questions about the model, the Request for Applications, and the application process.

Today's Argentum Advocates member briefing provided an update on Argentum's response to the recent national media coverage of assisted living and how Argentum is working to reshape the narrative and counter misleading and flawed reporting.

The session also provided a recap of the major accomplishments over the past year, to include last week's introduction of H.R. 6835, Argentum-led legislation to foster intergenerational connection between seniors and children.

Calling all Argentum Advocates: Tomorrow at 2:00 pm ET, Argentum will present its monthly member-exclusive policy briefing.

This session will include an important update on recent national media coverage and how Argentum is leading the response to reshape the narrative and counter misleading and flawed reporting.

We will also share a year-in-review of the major accomplishments of our policy priorities, including H.R. 6835, the just-introduced legislation led by Argentum to foster intergenerational connection between seniors and children, and we'll look ahead to the coming year and how Argentum Advocates can get involved.

Argentum Advocates are invited to these exclusive sessions to hear directly from Argentum’s federal lobbyists on our current federal and state public policy efforts.

Argentum Advocates Member Briefing
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
2:00 PM ET

Argentum is thrilled to share that yesterday, U.S. Representatives Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Bryan Steil (R-WI), and Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) introduced H.R. 6835, the Care Across Generations Act. This Argentum-led bill would help more seniors and children interact with one another, providing health and well-being benefits and addressing the epidemic of loneliness facing our nation, while also potentially helping reduce workforce shortages by improving caregiver retention.

Argentum worked directly with the Congressional offices to draft the legislative language of the Care Across Generations Act. The bill would establish grants for long-term care communities to operate a child care facility within their community, coordinate multigenerational activities, or develop or expand new or existing facilities for the specific purpose of fostering intergenerational connections.

Calling all Argentum Advocates: Tomorrow at 2:00 pm ET, Argentum will present its monthly member-exclusive policy briefing.

This session will look at the latest government funding agreement and its impact to Argentum's priorities in the broader appropriations process, expectations for the remainder of Congress's year, and updates to senior living specific legislation lead by Argentum that is expected to be introduced in the coming weeks.

Argentum Advocates are invited to these exclusive sessions to hear directly from Argentum’s federal lobbyists on our current federal and state public policy efforts.

Argentum Advocates Member Briefing
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
2:00 PM ET