The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee; it became a permanent committee in 1977. As a special committee, it has no legislative authority, but it studies issues related to older Americans, particularly Medicare and Social Security.

Prior to the passage of Medicare, the committee was studying health care insurance coverage for elderly American citizens. The committee conducts oversight of the Medicare program, Social Security and the Older Americans Act. Some of the issues that have been examined by the committee include unacceptable conditions in nursing homes, protection from age discrimination, and pricing practices for prescription drugs.

Members, 109th Congress

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The Committe is chaired by Republican Gordon Smith of Oregon, and the Ranking Minority Member is Democrat Herb Kohl of Wisconsin.

Republicans

	Senator	State	Gordon H. Smith, Chairman	Oregon
Richard Shelby	Alabama
Susan Collins	Maine
James Talent	Missouri
Elizabeth Dole	North Carolina
Mel Martinez	Florida
Larry Craig	Idaho
Rick Santorum	Pennsylvania
Conrad Burns	Montana
Lamar Alexander	Tennessee
Jim DeMint	South Carolina

Democrats

	Senator	State	Herbert H. Kohl, Ranking Minority Member	Wisconsin
Russ Feingold	Wisconsin
Ron Wyden	Oregon
Blanche Lincoln	Arkansas
Evan Bayh	Indiana
Bill Nelson	Florida
Ben Nelson	Nebraska
Thomas R. Carper	Delaware
Bill Nelson	Florida
Hillary Rodham Clinton	New York

Independents

	Senator	State	Jim Jeffords	Vermont

References

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2. Ibid.

See also

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Committees of the United States Congress