PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 27, 1999
Elderly Protection Act - Title I: Federal Prohibition of Violence Against the Elderly and Additional Assistance for Programs to Combat That Violence - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criminal penalties, including ten years' imprisonment, for willful bodily or psychological injury (or its attempt) to a senior (age 62 or older) because of the individual's age. Prescribes up to life imprisonment in the case of kidnaping, aggravated sexual abuse, or homicide.(Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for additional enforcement personnel and resources.Title II: Domestic Violence Prevention - Increases the authorization of appropriations for assistance under the United States Housing Act of 1937.(Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make such amounts available only to public housing agencies and qualified nonprofit organizations only for use for providing tenant-based rental assistance on behalf of families victimized by domestic violence who have left or are leaving a residence as a result of the domestic violence.(Sec. 203) Revises Federal law with respect to payment of monthly transitional compensation to dependents or former dependents of armed forces members convicted of a dependent-abuse offense. Allows resumption, on a case-by-case basis, of any such payments terminated, after execution of a punitive or adverse action, because the convicted former member again resides in the same household as the spouse or former spouse receiving such payments, if the former member subsequently ceases such residence, and it is determined there was ongoing abuse.(Sec. 204) Adds mental health services to the medical care to which the abused dependent receiving such transitional compensation is entitled.(Sec. 205) Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to require the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Aging, in making demonstration project grants and contracts, to give special consideration to projects designed to: (1) expand access to domestic violence shelters and programs for older individuals; and (2) promote research on legal, organizational, or training impediments to providing services to older individuals through such shelters, especially impediments to provision of services in coordination with delivery of health care or senior services.(Sec. 206) Makes permanent the authorization of appropriations for the ombudsman program and the elder abuse prevention program, without fiscal year limitation.(Sec. 207) Directs the Secretary to make grants to: (1) nonprofit private organizations to support community initiatives to coordinate activities concerning intervention in and prevention of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, and sexual assault, against older individuals; and (2) develop and implement outreach programs directed toward assisting older individuals who are victims of such abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Authorizes appropriations.(Sec. 208) Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 and the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary, in making awards of grants or contracts under this title, to give preference to any qualified health professions school or training program that requires, as a condition of receiving a degree or certificate, each student to have had significant training in identifying, examining, treating, and referring to service providers any victims of elder abuse and neglect, including domestic violence, and sexual assault.Title III: Elderly and Disabled Protection - Elderly and Disabled Protection Act of 1999 - Declares that a nursing facility (including a skilled nursing facility), home health agency, or hospice program (covered facility) under the Medicare and Medicaid programs of titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act may not: (1) employ an individual as a direct care employee unless the facility has requested from the State direct care employee registry a background check (including a criminal as well as an abusive work history background check); or (2) continue to employ such an individual if the background check report reveals a conviction of a disqualifying crime. Requires the covered facility to report to such registry documented findings of patient abuse by a direct care employee. Imposes civil penalties upon covered facilities that violate such requirements.(Sec. 303) Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish methods by which State direct care registries can pool and share criminal background check summaries and documented findings of patient abuse (national registry coordination system). Requires each State to expand its direct care employee registry in order to carry out such background checks and other related functions, including reporting of summary information to the national registry coordination system.Sets forth procedures for criminal and abusive work history background checks.(Sec. 304) Defines "direct care employee" as a paid, nonvolunteer nurse aide, home health care aide, personal care assistant, private duty nurse aide, day attendant, housekeeper, library attendant, laundry assistant, or similar worker who performs nursing or related tasks involving direct patient care in a covered facility.
People & committees
Rep. Crowley, Joseph [D-NY-7] · D–NY
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, Ways and Means, Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, Ways and Means, Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, Ways and Means, Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, Ways and Means, Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, Ways and Means, Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, Ways and Means, Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, Ways and Means, Commerce, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Jun 3, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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