[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10596]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     PASS ELDER JUSTICE ACT OF 2003

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, we recognize older Americans each May. This 
May we must address the unpleasant fact that too many of our elders are 
beaten, neglected, and extorted. Like other family crimes such as child 
abuse and domestic abuse, elder abuse has existed for too long in the 
dark shadows of our society. Elder abuse remains underreported, 
underresearched, and underenforced. As high as 5 million elderly cases 
of abuse occur in nursing homes, nursing institutions, and private 
homes each year; but 80 percent never get reported.
  In my home State of Illinois, 186 nursing home residents actually 
died of starvation, dehydration, or infected wounds in 1999 alone.
  In response, with the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), I will 
introduce the Elder Justice Act which makes elderly abuse a Federal 
crime, helps law enforcement work hand in hand with our health and 
social service agencies that have always fought alone against this type 
of neglect. It is a bipartisan bill. We have a number of Republicans 
here in the House, and 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats who are also 
introducing a bill in the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, the most meaningful way to honor our elder Americans 
this month is to pass the Elder Justice Act.

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