[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 10 (Wednesday, February 11, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H410-H411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE OF SENIORS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County 
Register this weekend reported on one of the fastest growing crimes in 
our communities: financial and physical abuse of seniors. And according 
to Orange County's adult protective services, most elder abuse is money 
motivated. Seniors are the victims of various financial scams, many of 
which occur within the privacy of their own homes by entrusted 
caretakers.
  Financial and physical abuse against seniors is on the rise. Last 
year, Orange County logged 3,419 elder abuse calls and predicted that 
about only one in six are reported.

                              {time}  1915

  And in most of these cases the abuse occurs within the privacy of 
their own homes. As many people grow older, remaining in their homes 
should increase the level of comfort and security and peace of mind, 
not threaten them. That is why I fear the potential for abuse in shared 
housing arrangements. Let us prevent this abuse before it happens.
  Shared housing agencies provide living arrangements for seniors who 
wish to remain in their homes, but require some additional care. An 
example of a shared housing arrangement would be, for example, if my 
mother had a vacant room in her house and needed someone to help her 
pay the bills and do her shopping, she could seek out someone in a 
shared housing arrangement. The agency would refer a potential 
caretaker, who would live with her and care for her in lieu of rent. 
Unfortunately, we live in a society where violent crimes occur every 
day, and we can no longer guarantee safety within our own homes. But we 
can increase our level of safety through continued preventive efforts.
  I believe that the problem of crime is, at least in part, a problem 
of resources. Until now, shared housing agencies have not had the 
resources necessary for proper safety for their clients. And without 
the ability to check the backgrounds of clients, they confront 
constraints that hinder them from increasing public safety.
  Therefore, I have introduced H.R. 3181 to assist shared housing 
agencies in preventing crime. This bill authorizes shared housing 
agencies to run background checks on potential caretakers. And this 
bill is not just about background checks and fingerprinting, it is 
about making our communities safer for all of us to live, it is a tool 
that shared housing agencies can use to prevent violent crimes and to 
help protect our loved ones.
  This bill provides the appropriate mechanism to be proactive in 
stopping abuse and fraud. But most importantly, it gives us all the 
peace of mind to know that our loved ones will be safely cared for 
within the privacy of their own homes. My bill establishes the 
necessary process to help combat the potential for abuse in shared 
housing.

[[Page H411]]

  It is important to recognize that the bill does not mandate, does not 
mandate, an agency to run FBI checks on their clients; it is merely a 
tool that they can use if they choose to. It is flexible and voluntary. 
It allows each agency to determine whether or not it is beneficial for 
them to use the FBI in order to guarantee protection for their clients. 
And by allowing the State and FBI to run background checks, service 
within housing arrangements will only improve. Administrators will 
receive comprehensive reports and will be able to better determine what 
is a most suitable and safe match for their clients.
  I have been working very closely with the FBI and local police 
departments, who agree that this bill can significantly reduce fraud 
and physical abuse. Currently there is no national standard, no 
operating procedure to screen potential home-sharers. Many States have 
begun to run checks for child-care providers and for school teachers. 
Just as it is our responsibility to protect our youngest citizens, it 
is also our responsibility to ensure the safety of our seniors.
  I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 3181.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  (Mr. SHAYS addressed the House. His remarks will appear hereafter in 
the Extensions of Remarks.)

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