rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/pass-the-elder-pride-act-now?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-pass-the-elder-pride-act-now' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Native Organizers Alliance Action Fund https://actionnetwork.org/groups/native-organizers-alliance https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/groups/default_facebook_images/000/022/886/original/NOA_ActionFundBanner2.png?1668645803 Democrats, including Sharice Davids -- the first 2SLGBTQI+ Native elected to Congress, want to offer a helping hand to older 2SLGBTQI+ people who live in isolated, rural parts of the country. The Elder Pride Act authorizes the Administration on Aging to award grants to state or Tribal governments or other eligible organizations, like local agencies on aging and multipurpose senior centers, for providing sexual health and other services for older adults in rural areas, with a particular focus on people who identify as Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex. The reality is 2SLGBTQI+ older adults in rural communities often face greater barriers to receiving the services and resources they need because of geography, costs, insufficient broadband infrastructure, and lack of specialized providers. This bill helps reduce the barriers, specifically focusing on two different but related problems: rural queer isolation, and a disproportionately high HIV rate among the elderly, often due to health care professionals lacking training about how HIV impacts the elderly.   Fortunately, in Congress Native issues often generate bipartisan support, even in the era of MAGA and Trump. The bad news is that some Republican Reps. have already announced their opposition to this important bill that attempts to improve equity, especially for constituents in Republican districts that are disproportionately rural and underserved. That hasn’t stopped Republican Rep. Andy Harris from telling reporters he’s against the bill because it “discriminates against straight people.” Obviously, that is blatantly false, but it does show that getting this bill passed will take significant public pressure. That’s where we come in. Click ‘START WRITING’ to sign and send a message demanding your members of Congress pass the Elder Pride Act now. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/pass-the-elder-pride-act-now