Vulnerable I think is exactly the right word. When a family member is involved, the problems of detection and apprehension may be even more difficult.

Thank you very much.

I believe strongly mandatory penalties may be appropriate, but certainly enhanced penalties, just as we've done through the Adam Walsh Act for child abuse.

Towns respond differently, and law enforcement agencies in those towns respond differently.

I think that's an important area to consider.

I'm interested in your comment that Connecticut has no adult protective services, and therefore receives no money from the Federal Government for APS.

Is it a requirement that social workers who work in the protective services program have any educational training in geriatrics?

I think that, again, the Adam Walsh Act, where we have enhanced at the Federal level the penalties for crimes committed against children, provides a useful model for how we can avoid some of the constitutional problems but still provide…

And do you have an explanation as to why financial exploitation seems to be underreported based on your experience and your study?

Would you be in favor of expanding the mandatory reporting features of the current law, analogizing it to some of the child abuse protections that we have?

Again, I want to thank both of you for being here today.

What do you think about mandatory reporting requirements?

it's really very cost effective to reauthorize the Older Americans Act and take stronger action to prevent this kind of abuse.

I have been in your situation before serving as a Senator, testifying down in Washington and having to catch a plane in the other direction.

So I'm wondering whether more emphasis on culpability and prosecution would be worthwhile.

I'm going to paraphrase rather than quote--the emphasis on service rather than what you call culpability, which I interpret to mean law enforcement or prosecution, would it be helpful do you think for there to be more emphasis on the law…

So I think that the more we can impact the awareness and the kind of attention that's given to this problem, as you're doing today, as you've done for a long time, is very, very important.

Financial exploitation hasn't been addressed in the same way physical and emotional abuse, and I think as time goes on we'll see more and more reporting of the issue.

What is going to happen to new programs in this environment? Are they going to have a chance?

What percentage are seniors that are involved in putting together programs and legislation? I think the question really is how involved are seniors?

Maybe you could comment on the fear of retaliation as a reason for non-reporting and other reasons that there is under- or nonreporting.

As much as I am in favor of reducing unnecessary and wasteful government spending, and we have to reduce the deficit, we have to reign in the debt, I think we need to do it in smart ways that are also cost-effective in preventing…

Would it be helpful to redefine or recharacterize Federal programs so as to be eligible for that funding?

I think that the penalty needs to reflect the seriousness of the crime.

while this agreement to raise the debt ceiling and cut spending is far from perfect, it averts a financial catastrophe that would stifle job creation and stall our fragile economic growth. Default would have increased interest rates for…