[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 199 (Tuesday, November 16, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8221-S8222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    National Family Caregivers Month

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I want to address the Senate on an issue 
that is very close to my heart.
  Now that we are well into the month of November and our Nation's 
observance of the National Family Caregivers Month, I would like to 
recognize the family caregivers across this Nation and the difficult 
and vitally important work that they do.
  I have a brother and a sister. Both of our parents passed away in the 
middle--well, 2014 and 2015, but they both suffered from Alzheimer's at 
the same time. It was very, very difficult on all of us to figure out 
the best way to ease their pain and to satisfy--it was a very difficult 
time--how we, as a family, were going to be providing for their care.
  This experience motivated me to join my colleague Senator Michael 
Bennet of Colorado as a cosponsor of the bipartisan Assisting 
Caregivers Today--or ACT--Caucus.
  The ACT Caucus seeks to bring much-needed attention to all of the 
caregivers and the issues that their caregivers face from all 
backgrounds. It seeks to find bipartisan ways to lessen the emotional 
and financial toll for those individuals who are caring for family 
members. And this help is needed by so, so many.
  Eighty-three percent of the help provided to older adults in the 
United States comes from family members, friends, or even unpaid 
caregivers. Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to older 
adults do so--like we do--for someone living with Alzheimer's or with 
another type of dementia.
  In my home State of West Virginia, we have about 85,000 family 
caregivers who are living with someone who has Alzheimer's and caring 
for them. As we know, those of us who have been down this road, there 
are no easy solutions here. Not only is it emotionally taxing on a 
family--there is no simple path--it also can be very, very expensive.
  My West Virginia Alzheimer's advocates always share with me their 
incredible stories--they actually let me come to one of their support 
groups, which I needed at the time--and also the challenges that they 
have as caregivers. One of these challenges is navigating the current 
complex medical system needed to care for someone living with 
Alzheimer's or, more often than not, other chronic medical conditions.
  This is one of the reasons I joined with my colleague Senator Debbie 
Stabenow of Michigan--we have done a couple of things together--in 
introducing the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer's Act.
  This bill would address the challenge by asking the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid for some innovation to be able to test dementia 
care management models. It enables individuals to more seamlessly and 
successfully navigate healthcare and social support systems and to 
obtain more timely access to care.
  The model is designed to reach as many Medicare beneficiaries as 
possible, especially individuals from rural and medically underserved 
areas. It provides comprehensive care services, including caregiver 
education and support; ensures patients have access to providers with 
dementia care experience; and also to reimburse providers through 
payment based on performance.
  This is something that could have helped my brother, sister, and I as 
we were navigating this difficult path, by helping us to coordinate the 
care that our parents not just received but what they deserved. It also 
could have helped them by ensuring that they were receiving the best 
care at all times.
  We must recognize the importance that our family caregivers play not

[[Page S8222]]

only during National Family Caregivers Month, but every day, and 
embrace those commonsense solutions like this one.
  So in honor of my parents, I would like to say that many of us across 
the country who are dealing with this have so much heartache and so 
much difficulty and so much difficult decisions that I am always trying 
to seek the best way to try to help those families who are going down 
that path.
  Thank you.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, in honor of the parents--and so many 
others--of Senator Capito, I thank her for her empathetic, 
compassionate remarks. We all have had friends and family who have 
suffered, and her remarks are really appropriate.
  So thank you for that.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote take place 
immediately after my remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                    Additional Cosponsor to S. 3076

  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I also ask unanimous consent that Senator 
Ossoff of Georgia be added as a cosponsor of S. 3076, a bill to amend 
the Federal Reserve Act.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, not a unanimous consent request, but I note 
that joining me on the floor today is Ben Ashman, for whom we have 
given consent to be on the floor as a Senate fellow in our office for 
the year.