Write your rep and the FAA and remind them it IS a safety issue. Include this tidbit: Some airlines were close to getting relief on 02 mask use while in cruise, then the Cypress accident happened. The 02 mask rule changes are no longer being considered. There are parallels that can be drawn between both the proposed 02 mask changes and retirement age change; we need to illuminate that to both the FAA and Congress. Just because we have not had an incident involving age doesn't mean THAT'S NOT what's out there lurking for us. You can't say age 60 hasn't worked, let's not wait til metal gets bent to figure out we had a pretty good rule.
If you're an under 60 FO and you support changing the age, consider this: You'll be a test pilot. You're age is the only thing enabling this operation. You are not the captain, you are no closer to the tiller, you have no additional authority...but your responsibility has gone up exponentially. (And of course you're getting no more money for this either!) You, or someone you know, could end up in the weeds with some geezer that's supposed to be retired! Your going to have to "stand and deliver",the geezer will simply declare that his/her retirement flight and bolt with the age 60+ bonus bucks...and that's if your lucky!
It's a bad rule change. Tell the FAA and Congress we don't experiment with our customers. We should recind our approval allowing age 60+ captains flying in the US.
