Mr. Speaker. I would also like to thank Representative Lloyd Doggett for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of…
Mr. Speaker. I would also like to thank Representative Lloyd Doggett for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.
As a Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, I understand the importance of protecting one of America's treasures: the elderly. I fully support the goals of this legislation in helping to keep America's elderly safe from harm.
Last year during the second session of the 110th Congress, Representative Doggett introduced, H.R. 6064, the ``National Silver Alert Act.'' I fought hard to amend that H.R. 6064 to include language that would strengthen the National Silver Alert Act. My language was incorporated into that bill and it was successfully reported out of the Judiciary Committee.
This term, Representative Doggett has included the language from H.R. 423, the ``Kristen's Act Reauthorization'' into the present National Silver Alert bill. Thus, strengthening the protections in the bill.
Thousands of vulnerable older adults go missing each year as a result of dementia, diminished capacity, foul play or other unusual circumstances. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America estimates that over five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and that sixty percent of these are likely to wander from their homes. Alzheimer's disease and other dementia related illnesses often leave their victims disoriented and confused and unable to find their way home. According to the Alzheimer's Association, up to 50% of wanderers risk serious illness, injury or death if not found within 24 hours. The problem can be exacerbated greatly by national disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, that can, in a matter of hours, increase the number of missing persons by the thousands.
At least eight states, along with non-profit organizations such as the National Center for Missing Adults, Project Lifesaver International and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, have developed programs to address various aspects of the problem of missing adults, but the need for a coordinated national approach, similar to the Amber Alert Program for children, still exists. In addition, financial support is needed for existing and new local and state programs.
The Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program, administered by the Department of Justice, is the only federal program that currently provides grant funding to locate vulnerable elderly individuals who go missing. Authorization for this program ceased in 1998, but Congress has continued to appropriate some monies for it through fiscal year 2008, when it appropriated $940,000. Another federal law, Kristen's Act, had authorized annual grants in the amount of $1 million for fiscal years 2001 through 2004 to assist law enforcement agencies in locating missing adults and for other purposes. Between fiscal years 2002 through 2006, Kristen's Act grants were made through the Edward Byrne Discretionary Grants Program, primarily to the National Center for Missing Adults, a non-profit organization. In 2006, Congress appropriated $150,000 for this purpose.
A. H.R. 632, the ``National Silver Alert Act''
H.R. 632 sets forth a comprehensive national program. It directs the Attorney General to establish a permanent national Silver Alert communications program within the Department of Justice to provide assistance to regional and local search efforts for missing seniors. The bill requires the Attorney General to assign a Department of Justice officer as a Silver Alert Coordinator.
The Silver Alert Coordinator acts as a nationwide point of contact, working with states to encourage the development of local elements of the network, known as Silver Alert plans, and to ensure regional coordination. The bill requires the Coordinator to develop protocols for efforts relating to reporting and finding missing seniors and to establish voluntary guidelines for states to use in developing Silver Alert plans. The bill requires the Coordinator to establish an advisory group (1) to help States, local governments and law enforcement agencies with Silver Alert plans, (2) to provide training and educational programs to states, local governments and law enforcement agencies, and (3) to submit an annual report to Congress. The bill also requires the Coordinator to establish voluntary minimum standards for the issuance of alerts through the Silver Alert communications network.
H.R. 632 directs the Attorney General, subject to the availability of appropriations, to provide grants to States for the development and implementation of programs and activities relating to Silver Alert plans. The bill authorizes $5 million for fiscal year 2009 for this purpose. The bill also authorizes an additional $5 million for fiscal year 2009 specifically for the development and implementation of new technologies. The Federal share of the grant may not exceed 50% and amounts appropriated under this authorization shall remain available until expended.
Importantly, the bill seeks to accomplish three purposes: the creation of a grant program, the promotion of best practices, and an increased awareness of the need for coordinated efforts to locate missing individuals. The bill authorizes a grant program for State- administered notification systems to help locate missing persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementia related illnesses. The grants are to be used to establish and implement Silver Alert systems or to make improvements to existing Silver Alert programs.
C. H.R. 423, the ``Kristen's Act Reauthorization''
Importantly, H.R. 632 includes the language from H.R. 423, the ``Kristen's Act Reauthorization.'' H.R. 632 reauthorizes Kristen's Act (P.L. 106-468), which had authorized annual grants from 2001 through 2004 for the purpose of finding missing adults. Because of the incorporation of Kristen's Act into H.R. 632, grants are not limited to States, but may be awarded to public agencies and nonprofit organizations. The grants are to be used to (1) maintain a national resource center and information clearinghouse; (2) maintain a national database for the purpose of tracking missing adults who are endangered due to age, diminished mental capacity, or when foul play is suspected or the circumstances are unknown; (3) coordinate public and private programs that locate missing adults and reunite them with their families;
(4) provide assistance and training to law enforcement agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit organizations and other individuals involved in the criminal justice system in matters related to missing adults; (5) provide assistance to families in locating missing adults; and (6) assist in public notification of missing adults and victim advocacy. The bill authorizes $4 million annually for fiscal years 2008 through 2018.
D. My Past Amendments on Elder Justice Bills
In similar elder legislation, namely the Elder Justice Act and the Elder Abuse Victims Act, I co-sponsored amendments with Ms. Maxine Waters of California to provide funding to State, Local, and non-profit programs to locate missing elderly. Specifically, my amendment would allow a voluntary electronic monitoring pilot program to assist with the elderly when they are reported missing. In these particular bills, my amendment would allow the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to issue grants to states and local government to carry out pilot programs to provide voluntary electronic monitoring services to elderly individuals to assist in the location of such individuals when they are reported missing.
I also offered an amendment in the elder justice acts that would have allowed the elderly to wear a bracelet so it would make it easier to find a lost elderly patient in the event that he or she was lost. This amendment was accepted and successfully reported out of the House Judiciary Committee last term. If I were provided the opportunity, I would have offered my amendment again and would have required that H.R. 632 contain provisions that would allow for the use of a bracelet pilot program. The bracelet pilot program would allow elderly, at their election, to wear a bracelet that would be used in helping to locate them when they are lost. The bracelet will be unlike existing programs because the bracelets will be electronic and themselves would facilitate finding a missing elderly person.
While this amendment language was accepted and successfully reported out of the House Judiciary Committee, my language was not included in the H.R. 632. Although my language has not been included in this present version of the bill, I still believe that the bill is important.
Elder Legislation Is Important.
Elder legislation such as the legislation before us today and the prior elder bills that I mentioned are important. As elder Americans enter their twilight years, we must do more to protect and ensure their safety. Nothing reminds me more of the necessity of this kind of legislation than my very own experiences in Houston, Texas. A few years ago, the family of Sam Kirk, a native of Houston, Texas, called me to help look for him. Mr. Kirk was elderly and suffered from dementia. He had wandered off and could not be located for several days. His family looked for him for many days but could not find him. In an act of desperation, they called on me to lend my services to help them find him. I helped his family look for him and we found him. When we found Mr. Kirk, he was dead. He died of dehydration. We searched for hours and days to find him. It would have been easier and may have saved a life if there was a bracelet or an electronic monitoring program as I have long championed in previous versions of this bill. Even without my language, legislation that helps America find and take care of its lost and missing elders is extremely important.
