System based on AMBER Alert is similar to program already in place in Minnesota, and is designed to locate missing adults with dementia  

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN),  Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) today introduced legislation to create a nationwide network for locating missing adults and senior citizens. The National Silver Alert Act would create a federal program modeled after the AMBER Alert and provide federal coordination and assistance to local and state law enforcement agencies, similar to a system currently in place in Minnesota. 

“As Alzheimer’s and dementia continue to affect too many Minnesotans, many seniors are at a high risk of ending up lost and in a dangerous situation,” Klobuchar said. “This legislation, which is similar to a program already in place in Minnesota, will help law enforcement across the country spread the word anytime a senior has gone missing and help improve the chances that tragedy is averted.”

“The Silver Alert was put in place in West Virginia when I was Governor and has proven to be a positive and effective program since it started in 2009,” Senator Manchin said. “In West Virginia, we’ve been fortunate enough to need the system activated only a handful of times, and we have been very successful in returning those missing individuals home safely. As a proud member on the Special Committee on Aging, I encourage my colleagues to remember that America’s priorities should be based on our values, and keeping our promises to our seniors should be one of our highest priorities. Our seniors helped build and defend this nation, and we have an obligation to them that we must never break.”

This legislation is supported by the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, Elder Justice Coalition, National Association of Police Organizations and the National Sheriffs’ Association.

###