Goodlatte Floor Statement on the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (S. 178).

Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. S. 178, the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, takes several steps to protect American seniors from financial exploitation and physical abuse. This legislation promotes the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators who prey upon seniors, enhances data collection, and provides resources for robust elder abuse prevention programs. Some estimate that approximately one in ten senior citizens are abused annually, but only one in 23 cases of elder abuse is reported to authorities each year. At least $2.9 billion is taken from older adults each year due to financial abuse and exploitation. The abuse of these vulnerable victims causes devastating physical, mental, emotional, and financial consequences to the victims and their loved ones, and we must combat this injustice. This bill requires each US Attorney’s Office to appoint an elder justice coordinator and requires the FBI to provide specialized training to agents relating to the investigation of elder abuse crimes. It mandates that both the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission designate an elder justice coordinator. It strengthens criminal laws to ensure that offenders who seek to exploit seniors through fraudulent e-mail marketing are appropriately punished, and it enhances data collection on crimes against senior citizens so we can one day understand the full scope of this problem. I believe it was Mahatma Gandhi who said, “A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” We must ensure that appropriate measures are taken to protect our senior citizens and that is precisely what this bill aims to do. This bill passed the Senate unanimously, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.