Hatch reintroduces elder-abuse bill
Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., have reintroduced a bill — for the fourth Congress in a row — designed to help protect the elderly from abuse.
"More than 500,000 Americans over 60 are the victims of domestic abuse," Hatch said. "I am committed to doing all I can to pass legislation to protect them from those who would prey upon them physically, financially and psychologically."
The bill would order the federal government to collect data on elder abuse; penalize failure to report abuse and other crimes in long-term care facilities; provide Adult Protective Services grants with $100 million annually for four years; and create a council to coordinate federal, state and local response to elder abuse.
Hatch noted that the government spends $6.7 billion a year on child abuse and $520 million a year on domestic abuse, but just $153 million on elder abuse. He said that is a tiny amount considering that 76 million baby boomers will reach retirement age over the next three decades.
Similar bills have been passed by the Senate Finance Committee for the past three congresses, but it has failed to be enacted into law.
E-MAIL: lee@desnews.com
Recent comments
I think in the coming years we'll see a greater push for legalized...
Good try... hope it works... | April 16, 2009 at 7:02 a.m.
If laws allowing and encouraging the "kidnapping" of the elderly are...
bonnie reiter | April 16, 2009 at 6:10 a.m.
THANK YOU FOR CARING ABOUT THE ELDERLY AND INTRODUCING THIS BILL.
...
LATIFA RING | April 16, 2009 at 12:49 a.m.
- Dixie campus briefs 1:10 a.m.
- Westminster campus briefs 1:09 a.m.
- UVU campus briefs 1:07 a.m.
- Utah Utes campus briefs 1:07 a.m.
- Visit to paradise nightmarish for Ags 12:32 a.m.
- Utes struggling to shake starts 12:31 a.m.
- Cougars' execution flawless 12:30 a.m.
- Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings 12:17 a.m.
- 3A football: Tigers pull away 12:12 a.m.
- Editorial: 'Immigrant' children needy 12:12 a.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
207 - Dirk does dirty work in Dallas
190 - Lobo suspended
171 - Speed has never been BYU's game
136 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
128 - House passes health care bill
111 - RSL rallies to advance
102 - Prep football: San Juan vs. S. Sevier
102 - Thousands protest health bill
100 - Provo company innovating engines
98
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
Nothing proposed would keep young adults from learning of the reality of sex,...
the only "decent" team we played we lost to? I guess that Air Force isn't a...
I am watching the game again, and it is awesome!!!
I can't help but laugh inside when I read comments from YBU/TCU fans who...
(from the independant) I like Dennis Miller.... and Bill Maher, although I...
As a BYU alumnus, I can't justify to myself ever donating another dollar to...
Not a chance. Don't get me wrong they are both studs, but if Asiata wasn't...
Titan Fan, sorry that some of your best players got hurt. I hope they...
So sad how fear based so many are.
Will the Jazz even make the playoffs this year. The way they are playing it...

