Clinton Targets Abuse Of Elderly
President Clinton offered a plan to protect older Americans from fraud and abuse in his weekly radio address.
The greatest threat older Americans now face is not a gun-wielding thug but "a telemarketer armed with a deceptive rap," Mr. Clinton said. He proposed legislation to shut down telephone scams aimed at the elderly.
The president said also that while the sharply falling crime rate is a godsend to older people who once fearfully locked themselves into their homes, new protection is needed for nursing home residents who "cannot lock the door against abuse and neglect by the people paid to care for them."
Mr. Clinton used his weekly radio address to promote the crime bill he will send to Congress next month. He said it will impose "tough measures to target people who prey on elderly Americans."
The proposal also aims at those who defraud health care plans or steal from pensions and retirement funds.
Telemarketing fraud cheats Americans of an estimated $40 billion a year, and more than half the victims are over 50, Mr. Clinton said. "That's like a fraud tax aimed directly at senior citizens," he said.
The Clinton bill would give the Justice Department authority to cancel telephone service when evidence is found of an illegal telemarketing operation.
"If you prey on older Americans, we will cut off your phone lines and shut you down," Mr. Clinton said.
The president said his administration has already issued rules to govern nursing home operations and has stepped up investigations of possible abuse or neglect.
The bill gives the Justice Department authority to investigate, prosecute and punish operators of nursing homes found to have repeatedly abused or neglected residents. Proposed penalties include 10-year jail terms for individuals and fines for nursing home chains of up to $2 million for each home where residents are neglected or abused.
The president's proposal permits the department to seek court orders to stop nursing homes from mistreating patients. The plan also protects whistle-blowers who tell officials about wrongdoing in nursing homes.
In their weekly radio address, Republicans pressed for lower taxes.
A GOP-led budget plan passed by Congress would cut most Americans' taxes while spending more on Social Security, education and national defense, Sen. Spencer Abraham said Saturday.
The Michigan Republican said the party's agenda "will help our families and our children face the future with optimism and confidence."
The $1.74 trillion spending plan for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 places overall limits on the detailed tax and spending bills lawmakers will write, then try to persuade the White House to accept. Congress passed the legislation Thursday.
Tax breaks in the plan are meant to keep Americans from having to "work nearly three hours out of an eight-hour day just to pay taxes," Abraham aid. The GOP plan sets aside for tax cuts $800 billion of the surplus, which would not be connected to Social Security.
He said the trillions of dollars in surpluses expected in the next decade amount to a tax overpayment.
"It's your money, and Republicans will work to give tax relief to as many taxpayers as possible," Abraham said. "We want sensible tax cuts for all taxpayers. The president doesn't."
President Clinton wants more closely targeted cuts, largely for lower and middle-income Americans.