By Vincent Lim
Rep. Karen Bass addressed the potential impact of government budget cuts and health care reform legislation on older adults during the 2011 Roybal Memorial Lecture at USC Town & Gown on Feb. 23.
Sponsored by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging at the USC School of Social Work and co-hosted by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, the annual event commemorates the institute’s namesake, honoring Edward Roybal’s legacy as a passionate advocate for civil rights and equal opportunity, as well as services for the elderly.
“His fight for the rights of everyone who suffered discrimination, including our elders, made an indelible mark on our country,” Bass said. “The work of the Roybal Institute is so important, especially today, since these are very difficult times for our nation and for our seniors in particular.”
Bass said new reforms under the Affordable Care Act, which was passed last year, would help the increasing number of older adults who are struggling to pay for the rising cost of health care and basic necessities.
“It really is a crime to think that for too long, seniors have had to choose between a meal and the medicine that they need,” Bass said.
She voiced concerns that proposals to reduce the federal deficit and balance the budget would cut funding for initiatives that serve the elderly.
“A budget is a statement of values,” Bass said. “It says a lot about who and what we value as a society.”