[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 169 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6818-S6820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mrs. McCaskill, and Ms. Klobuchar):
S. 3594. A bill to provide for the issuance of a Stamp Out Elder
Abuse Semipostal Stamp; to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President. Along with my colleague and friend,
Senator Claire McCaskill, I am introducing the Stamp Out Elder Abuse
Act of 2018, a bill that seeks to help combat the abuse and financial
exploitation of our nation's seniors. Our bill would create a
semipostal, or fundraising, stamp that would allow Postal Service
customers to make a voluntary contribution to help raise awareness and
combat elder abuse with a stamp purchase. The proceeds from this stamp
would go to the Department of Health and Human Service's (HHS)
Administration on Community Living (ACL) and the Department of Justice
(DOJ). This additional funding for the ACL would be used to further
support the development and advancement of emerging practices to
prevent and respond to the abuse of older adults. Funding for the DOJ
would go toward improving prosecution, data collection, litigation
support, and prevention of elder abuse initiatives. Notably, this bill
would help to provide needed additional revenue to tackle elder abuse
without costing the federal government a single penny.
Abuse can happen to anyone--no matter the person's age, gender, race,
religion, or ethnic or cultural background. Each year, hundreds of
thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or
financially exploited. Abuse can happen in many places, including a
person's home, a family member's house, an assisted living facility, or
a nursing home. Just as abuse can occur in various settings, there are
many types of elder abuse, including physical abuse, emotional abuse,
sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, and financial exploitation.
Although there are different types of
[[Page S6819]]
abuse, it is common for a victim to experience more than one type of
mistreatment.
According to the National Council on Aging, approximately one in ten
Americans aged 60 years old or older have experienced some form of
elder abuse, and according to the GAO, financial fraud targeting older
Americans is a growing epidemic that costs seniors an estimated $2.9
billion annually. We know, however, that the true number is probably
much higher since many of these cases are never reported because the
victim is too often ashamed to report abuse, particularly when it
involves a family member. As a consequence, the true incidence of abuse
is not known. In fact, the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that
only one in 14 cases are reported to the authorities.
In my home State of Maine--the State with the oldest population by
median age--an estimated 33,000 seniors each year are the victims of
some kind of abuse or financial fraud. Moreover, in as many as 90
percent of financial cases, the senior is victimized by someone he or
she knows well. In a 2017 report of financial exploitation of Maine's
older adults, in most cases financial exploitation is perpetrated by a
family members and for those perpetrators who were family members, the
majority were the victim's child.
In a recent case in Maine, police charged a pastor in York County,
Maine, with exploiting an incapacitated elderly woman. They say the man
befriended the woman while he was volunteering at the assisted-living
community where she lived. According to police, the State determined
the woman to be incapacitated and assigned her a guardian and
conservator. The pastor allegedly took the woman to her bank, withdrew
money to have the locks changed on her former home, which had been on
the market, and he took down the ``for sale'' sign.
Police say the pastor told the woman he would help her return to her
house, even though it was not equipped for the wheelchair access she
required. He suggested his daughter could live with the woman to care
for her. Police say his goal was to ingratiate himself and have access
to this woman's financial accounts and property. Fortunately, in this
case, the conservator, who was legally responsible for protecting the
woman's assets, identified and reported the suspected criminal activity
to the police.
Combatting elder abuse of seniors is primarily the responsibility of
state and local agencies, particularly Adult Protective Services
agencies. Prevention and response to cases of abuse require coordinated
efforts, including state and local agencies, law enforcement, the
social work and medical community, and financial institutions.
The Federal government also plays an important role in providing
leadership to combat this problem. The Elder Justice Coordinating
Council, which is led by HHS and DOJ, has brought other federal
agencies to the table to coordinate efforts to protect older
individuals from abuse. In January, the DOJ took another step forward
by directing all 94 U.S. Attorneys' offices to each designate an elder
justice coordinator, who will develop strategies to protect seniors in
their districts. This will promote greater cooperation between the DOJ
and its law enforcement partners. While the best way to intervene in
the problem of elder abuse is to prevent it from happening in the first
place, when abuse does occur, it is crucial that the perpetrators of
the crimes not go unpunished.
I worked closely on the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2018 with Philip
C. Marshall, founder of Beyond Brooke, a cause-based campaign named to
honor Philip's late grandmother, Brooke Astor, who was a well-known
philanthropist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a
victim of elder abuse and elder financial exploitation. In 2015, Mr.
Marshall testified before the Senate Aging Committee about how his
father mistreated his grandmother and mismanaged her assets while she
suffered from Alzheimer's disease. In addition, I am pleased that the
nonpartisan Elder Justice Coalition, which represents more than 3,000
members, along with the National Center for Victims of Crime, the
National Sheriff's Association, and the National Association on Area
Agencies on Aging support the bill.
Preventing and combating elder abuse require law enforcement and
social service agencies at all levels of government to work
collaboratively with the private sector. The Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act
would assist the Federal government's role to help make that happen. I
urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. President--I ask that letters from these organizations appear in
the Record immediately following my remarks.
There being no objection so ordered.
____
National Sheriffs' Association,
Alexandria, VA, October 10, 2018.
Hon. Susan Collins,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Collins: On behalf of the National Sheriffs'
Association (NSA) and the more than 3,000 elected sheriffs
nationwide, I write to endorse the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act
of 2018 proposed by yourself and cosponsored by Senator
Claire McCaskill. This Act initiates a semi postal stamp that
not only raises elder abuse awareness, but also dedicates the
proceeds to elder justice programs within DOJ and HHS.
As you may know, the NSA was one of the founding groups in
the National Association of Triads, Inc. National Triads
serves as a clearinghouse of information, best practices and
early alert system for local Triads. Triad is a national
community policing concept that partners law enforcement
agencies with older adult volunteer groups and older adult
related community services to educate older adults on crime
and fraud, to reduce crime against the elderly, and eliminate
the unwarranted fear of crime.
After twenty-two years in existence, there are Triads in
more than 680 counties in 36 states. Triad serves 16 million
seniors nationwide--nearly half of America's senior
population. The National Sheriffs' Association and local
sheriffs have long recognized the need to ensure the safety
and quality of life for the growing number of senior citizens
by supporting the formation of community partnerships under
the auspice of Triad. Triad has a clear vision and a simple
mission--to keep seniors safe from crime.
The Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2018 makes a clear effort
to increase awareness and support for the elderly community.
We applaud your efforts to support prevention and education,
investigation and prosecution, and victims' services in an
effort in combat elder abuse.
Sincerely,
Jonathan F. Thompson,
Executive Director and CEO.
____
The Elder Justice Coalition, A National Advocacy Voice
for Elder Justice in America,
Washington, DC, September 25, 2018.
Hon. Susan Collins,
Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Collins: As the National Coordinator of the
nonpartisan Elder Justice Coalition which represents more
than 3,000 members, I write to congratulate you on the
introduction of the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2018, which
will create a semi-postal stamp to provide additional funding
to the federal government for programs to address elder
abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The EJC is proud to have
worked closely on this legislation with you and Philip C.
Marshall, founder of Beyond Brooke, a cause-based campaign
named to honor Philip's late grandmother, Brooke Astor, who
was a well-known philanthropist, recipient of the
Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a victim of elder abuse
and elder financial exploitation.
We are pleased that the bill will direct the United States
Postal Service to develop the semi-postal stamp and use the
proceeds from its sales to provide funding to augment the
elder justice initiatives at both the Administration on Aging
in the Department of Health and Human Services and at the
Department of Justice. These programs include prevention,
education, data collection, services to protect and support
victims, and demonstration projects, in addition to
initiatives to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of
elder abuse and financial exploitation. Further, the
departments will be able to use their resources to support
dissemination of the stamp.
Thank you again for your leadership on this and other elder
justice issues. Please let us know if we can be of assistance
in securing passage of the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2018.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Blancato,
National Coordinator.
____
The National Center for
Victims of Crime,
Washington, DC, October 2, 2018.
Hon. Susan Collins,
Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Collins: As the Executive Director of the
National Center for Victims of Crime which advocates for
stronger rights, protections, and services for all crime
victims and the advocates who serve them, I write to
congratulate you on the introduction of the Stamp Out Elder
Abuse Act of 2018, which will create a semi-postal stamp to
provide additional funding to the federal government for
programs to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
[[Page S6820]]
We are pleased that the bill will direct the United States
Postal Service to develop the semi-postal stamp and use the
proceeds from its sales to provide funding to augment the
elder justice initiatives at both the Administration on Aging
in the Department of Health and Human Services and at the
Department of Justice. These programs include prevention,
education, data collection, services to protect and support
victims, and demonstration projects, in addition to
initiatives to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of
elder abuse and financial exploitation. Further, the
departments will be able to use their resources to support
dissemination of the stamp.
Thank you again for your leadership on this and other elder
justice issues. Please let us know if we can be of assistance
in securing passage of the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2018.
Sincerely,
Mai Fernandez,
Executive Director.
______