Herb Kohl: “today I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the Elder Justice Act of 2007. As in previous Congresses, I am an original…”

“today I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the Elder Justice Act of 2007. As in previous Congresses, I am an original cosponsor and fully support the bill's goals and passage. I want to thank Senators Hatch, Lincoln and Smith for their continued leadership to make sure that our Nation finally acts in a comprehensive way to prevent elder abuse. Our Nation has for far too long turned its back on the shame of elder abuse. Congress has held hearings on the devastating effects of elder abuse for a quarter of a century. With this bill, we are finally saying enough is enough--elder abuse is unacceptable and we are going to act to stop it. This bill takes several important steps to make improvements to what is now an inadequate system of protection for our vulnerable elders. First, it boosts funding for the long-term care ombudsman program, which serves as an advocate for the elderly and disabled in long-term care. It also establishes an adult protective services grant program and forensics centers that are charged with developing expertise on elder abuse. In addition, it elevates the importance of elder justice issues by creating a coordinating council of Federal agencies that will make policy recommendations and submit reports to Congress every 2 years.”