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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies – today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded a $750,000 grant to the Wichita Police Department to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) integration initiative in Wichita.

“As the chief appropriator for the Department of Justice, I am pleased to announce that the Wichita Police Department will receive a competitive DOJ grant to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center, expanding their existing crime-fighting resources and infrastructure through a new partnership with the ATF,” said Sen. Moran. “This program will help advance Wichita’s ongoing efforts to modernize the way they investigate and address gun-related crimes. I will continue to work with the Wichita Police Department on how we can best equip our men and women in uniform to keep our communities safe.”

“The WPD is excited about this opportunity and embrace the chance to more effectively address and investigate gun-related violent crime in Wichita,” said WPD Chief Gordon Ramsay. “The WPD appreciates Sen. Moran’s continued support in helping to lower violent crime in our city.”

The CGIC Integration Initiative is a DOJ competitive grant program administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that provides funding to state and local government entities that are experiencing increases in gun-related violent crime. The program helps awardees implement comprehensive and holistic models to reduce violent crime and the illegal use of firearms by allowing them to integrate with their local ATF CGIC. The initiative is designed to encourage local government’s capacity to work alongside the ATF to utilize intelligence, technology, community engagement and other tools to quickly identify firearms used unlawfully and their sources.

As part of this grant, the Wichita Police Department will develop a CGIC that will include a crime analyst, an investigator, training resources, data-sharing platform software, remote test fire system, bullet detection technology, a CGIC prosecutor, a forensic examiner and other resources. Further, the grant will utilize Wichita State University as the research partner.
 

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Sen. Moran Announces 2019 Service Academy Selection Board

Selection Board will review applications and interview candidates for admission to U.S. Service Academies

Sep 11 2019

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced members of his 2019 Service Academy Selection Board. The 20-member board will review applications and interview candidates who are applying for admission to U.S. Service Academies.

“One of the greatest responsibilities I have as a United States Senator is to nominate Kansas students to attend service academies,” said Sen. Moran “I am proud of these young students for their desire to serve our nation, and I’m grateful to my Service Academy Selection Board for the thoughtful consideration they put into the application process. These students applying to enter service academies represent the best of Kansas, and I look forward to receiving the selection board’s recommendations and meeting with students in Hutchinson.”

Applications will be reviewed and selected applicants will be interviewed by the selection board on Saturday, September 21 at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. The U.S. Service Academies include the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Media are invited to attend the event. Questions about the event may be directed to Trenton_Kennedy@moran.senate.gov.

Members of the 2019 Service Academy Selection Board include: 

  • Lt. Col. (RET) Bob Brock of Topeka – Director of Aviation, Kansas Department of Transportation, U.S. Air Force veteran;
  • Myca Bunch of Garden City – President, Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Air Force veteran;
  • LTC (Ret) Larry Burks, Sr., of Wichita – Director, Military and Veteran Services, Wichita State University, U.S. Army veteran;
  • Dennis Butler of Manhattan – Director, Riley County Police Department;
  • COL John Cluck of Wathena – Mayor, City of Wathena, Vice Commander, 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard;
  • Ardith Dunn, Ph.D., of Satanta – Retired high school mathematics/computer instructor, K-12 superintendent, mother of U.S. Air Force Academy graduate;
  • Michael Farris, M.D., of Altamont – Emergency Physician, Freeman Neosho Hospital, Served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves;
  • Sue Givens of El Dorado – Field Specialist, Kansas Association of School Boards, Retired K-12 superintendent;
  • Robin Jackson, Ph.D., of Hutchinson – Central Christian College Professor of Science and Mathematics;
  • Cheryl Kerns of Overland Park – Blue Valley West High School teacher, mother of U.S. Military Academy graduate;
  • Brian Kessens of Overland Park – Tortoise Capital managing director, U.S. Military Academy graduate;
  • Katrina Lewison of Manhattan – USD 383 Board of Education Member, Purple Heart recipient, U.S. Military Academy graduate;
  • Jayne Humphrey Pearce of Wallace – Wallace County Visitors Bureau Marketing and Tourism Director, U.S. Air Force veteran, mother of U.S. Air Force Academy graduate;
  • Rachael Pitchford of Dodge City – Assistant Principal, Comanche Middle School, U.S. Marine Corps veteran;
  • Sean Ritchie of Wichita – Cargill North American Operations Lead, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate;
  • Halley Roberson of Oberlin – City Administrator, City of Oberlin, U.S. Army veteran;
  • Mike Souder of Prairie Village – Dean of Continuing Education, Johnson County Community College, U.S. Military Academy graduate;
  • Sam Turner of Leawood – Retired Shawnee Mission Medical Center CEO, Vietnam War veteran, U.S. Army veteran;
  • Ron Whitney of Emporia – American Legion member, Veterans of Foreign Wars member, U.S. Army veteran;
  • Beth Wilson of Girard – Business education teacher, Girard High School, mother of U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies – today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding over $4 million to combat the opioid crisis in Kansas. The new resources by HHS are provided through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s State Opioid Response grant program and also through cooperative agreements between states and localities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It is important that these new resources – previously approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee – reach Kansas communities in desperate need of financial assistance to combat the opioid crisis,” said Sen. Moran. “These grants will support our police departments and EMS personnel who respond to overdoses and will provide additional mental health treatment to our health providers so people can overcome addiction and live drug-free lives.”

For additional information regarding the HHS grants, click here.

 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies – today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding $1,259,650 in Quality Improvement Awards to 18 health centers in Kansas. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Kansas health centers will use these awards to improve the quality, efficiency and value of the health care they provide.

“Health centers across Kansas provide an invaluable service to their communities, and the healthcare professionals they employ are committed to improving outcomes for Kansans,” said Sen. Moran. “This HHS grant funding will make certain these centers have the resources to continue providing high-quality care. I’m pleased to support the work of these health centers and will continue to work with HHS and health center leadership to advance the wellness of Kansans.”

Kansas Health Center Quality Improvement FY2019 Grant Recipients:

  • Atchison Community Health Clinic, Atchison
  • Cowley County Community Health Center, Winfield
  • Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Pittsburg
  • First Care Clinic, Hays
  • Flint Hills Community Health Center, Emporia
  • GraceMed Health Clinic, Wichita
  • Health Ministries Clinic, Newton
  • Health Partnership Clinic, Olathe
  • HealthCore Clinic, Wichita
  • Heart of Kansas Family Health Care, Great Bend
  • Heartland Medical Clinic, Lawrence
  • Kansas State Department of Health & Environment, Topeka
  • Konza Prairie Community Health & Dental Center, Junction City
  • Prairie Star Health Center, Hutchinson
  • Salina Health Education Foundation, Salina
  • County of Sheridan, Kan., Sheridan
  • Hunter Health Clinic, Wichita
  • United Methodist Western Kansas

Click here for more information on these grants.

By providing patients access to high quality, value-based care, health centers are uniquely positioned to meet the nation’s most pressing health care needs, as well as emerging health priorities. HRSA-funded health centers are the first line of care in combatting the nation’s opioid crisis. In 2018, health centers screened nearly 1.1 million people for substance use disorder and ultimately provided medication-assisted treatment to nearly 95,000 patients nationwide.

HRSA-funded health centers are also playing an important role in the White House Initiative Ending the HIV Epidemic by serving as a key point of entry for the detection, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of HIV. In 2018 alone, health centers provided over 2.4 million HIV tests to more than two million patients. Nationwide, health centers provide care to 1 in 6 patients diagnosed with HIV.

HRSA’s Quality Improvement Awards recognize the work that health centers do to address health priorities by designating health centers that ranked in the top 1-2 percent in one or more key areas – behavioral health, diabetes prevention and management and heart health – as National Quality Leaders. The top 30 percent of health centers that achieve the best overall clinical performance receive designation as Health Center Quality Leaders.

These awards also recognize health center achievements in other areas, including improving cost-efficient care delivery while also increasing quality of care, reducing health disparities, increasing both the number of patients served and patients’ ability to access comprehensive services, advancing the use of health information technology, and delivering patient-centered care.

For more than 50 years, health centers have delivered affordable, accessible, quality and cost-effective primary health care services to patients. Today, nearly 1,400 health centers operate approximately 12,000 service delivery sites that provide care to more than 28 million patients nationwide.
 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) sent a letter this week to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) raising concerns about the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network’s (OPTN) proposed changes to the national kidney and pancreas distribution policies. Blunt and Moran previously pressed HHS on similar changes to the national liver allocation policy, which would negatively impact patients awaiting transplants in Midwestern states, including Missouri and Kansas.

“We are deeply concerned by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network’s (OPTN) steps toward eliminating the use of donation service areas and regional boundaries for the allocation of kidney and pancreas organs for transplantation,” the senators wrote. “We believe the new allocation policies reward historically low-performing, troubled organ procurement organizations without taking steps to improve their performance and help a greater number of Americans in need of a life-saving organ. In fact, President Trump’s recent Executive Order acknowledged that there is a need to reform organ procurement performance. We urge you to put a halt to OPTN’s actions until litigation is resolved and we can move forward, together, with policies that help all Americans.” 

Sens. Moran and Blunt previously sent two letters to Secretary Azar, in December 2018 and January 2019, challenging the liver policy change, citing the potentially negative impact on costs and wait times. In May of this year, the Northern District Court of Georgia granted an injunction preventing changes in the national liver distribution policy prior to an appellate court ruling on the case.

Sens. Moran and Blunt have also asked HHS to delay changes to the liver distribution policy pending additional information they’ve requested from the Comptroller General of the United States. The senators have asked for a full review of both OPTN’s policy-making process and HHS’ oversight of the program. 

Read the full text of the letter here.
 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) – members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – along with Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Dr. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) – chairman and ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie following a report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) outlining errors in VA’s processing of non-VA emergency care claims.

The OIG found that in 2017, the VA inappropriately processed about 31 percent of emergency care claims totaling at least $716 million. The OIG also substantiated a whistleblower claim on this issue finding that VA incentivized value production targets for timely processing of emergency care claims over fairly and accurately issuing decisions. Among the inappropriately processed claims, the OIG estimated that VA was likely responsible for paying $53.3 million in emergency care claims for 17,400 veterans. In their letter, the members expressed their disappointment that VA has not done enough to improve its claim processing following a 2014 GAO report on the same matter.

“Our expectation is that VA expeditiously and continuously implements the recommendations made by independent oversight bodies,” wrote the members.

They were joined by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), and U.S. Representatives Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Chris Pappas (D-Conn.), Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), Gregorio Sablan (D-Mp.), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.), Max Rose (D-N.Y.),  Conor Lamb (D-Pa.), Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.), Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), Susie Lee (D-Nev.), Colin Allred (D-Texas), Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-As.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Daniel Meuser (R-Pa.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) in the letter.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

The Honorable Robert Wilkie
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420

Mr. Secretary,

We write today concerned that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) inappropriately rejected or denied payment for an estimated 60,800 veterans who received emergency care from non-VA providers. Facing a medical emergency can be stressful for any patient; however, the financial toll on veterans when VA erroneously denies or rejects payment can also be devastating. Hospitals may send veterans’ emergency care bills to collection.  Non-payment can bankrupt and destroy veterans’ credit histories. These administrative errors can remain with veterans for the rest of their lives. We are equally alarmed that the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) has substantiated allegations made in 2017 by a whistleblower that VA’s productivity targets were incentivizing the inappropriate denial of these claims.[1]

The OIG estimated that VA inappropriately denied or rejected about 31 percent of emergency care claims processed between April 1, 2017, and September 30, 2017.  This could have affected about 60,800 veterans and totaled approximately $716 million in billed charges.  The OIG also found VA likely should have paid claims for about 17,400 of these 60,800 veterans, with bills totaling at least $53.3 million during the 6-month review period. Further, the OIG found that VA failed to inform many veterans their claims had been rejected or denied, or of veterans’ rights to appeal these decisions. This meant many veterans were blindsided by bills from emergency care providers due to VA’s non-payment, and some were unable to appeal due to an expired appeal deadline. We know this firsthand. We have worked numerous emergency care claim denials and rejections as casework on behalf of veterans. We see this all too often, and the OIG has validated that VA errors lead to this unnecessary financial burden for veterans.  The OIG estimated that if VA fails to correct these errors, an undue financial burden of about $533 million for non-VA emergency care could be placed on veterans over a five-year period.

We are equally alarmed by the OIG’s finding that VA valued production targets for timely processing of emergency care claims over fairly and accurately issuing decisions. VA’s culture incentivized meeting unrealistic productivity standards that drove some claims processing staff to simply deny or reject emergency care claims rather than adjudicate them properly because doing so took less time. The OIG found that some VA employees actively directed or encouraged claims processors to deny or reject claims in order to meet VA’s productivity standards, and staff who met these standards were rewarded with overtime pay and telework privileges.  Finally, the OIG also determined that VA lacks appropriate oversight mechanisms that could reduce the risk that veterans’ emergency care claims will continue to be inappropriately denied or rejected. Almost half of the VA claims processing staff surveyed indicated they were not aware of a supervisor reviewing the quality or accuracy of their emergency care claims adjudication decisions.

This is not new territory for VA. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in March 2014 on many of the same issues identified in the OIG report. More than 5 years ago, GAO found that VA’s weak oversight of emergency care claims adjudication could lead to inappropriate denial of claims. It is disappointing the Department has not done enough to improve its processing of non-VA emergency care claims. Our expectation is that VA expeditiously and continuously implements the recommendations made by independent oversight bodies. 

We request a thorough explanation of how and when the Department intends to comply with the OIG’s 11 recommendations. In addition, we would appreciate knowing:

  • whether any remaining explicit or implicit incentives exist that would cause employees responsible for processing non-VA emergency care claims to continue sacrificing quality for quantity;
  • whether VA is appropriately resourced—in terms of staffing and technology—to implement requirements associated with emergency care claims adjudication;
  • how VA plans to communicate with those veterans whose claims were inappropriately denied or rejected due to having other health insurance after April 8, 2016, and what assistance VA will provide to those veterans in re-adjudicating their claims; and
  • how VA plans to re-adjudicate the approximately 17,400 veterans’ claims the OIG determined VA likely should have paid.

We appreciate your attention to this request and look forward to working with you to ensure the Department carries out laws as Congress intended, accurately and fairly processes non-VA emergency care claims, and implements recommendations made by watchdog agencies like GAO and the OIG.
 

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Bipartisan Support Grows for Moran-Blumenthal U.S. Olympic Committee Reform Legislation

Sens. Ernst, Shaheen, Capito & Cortez-Masto cosponsor Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act

Aug 05 2019

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today announced that U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) have signed on as cosponsors of their Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019. This bipartisan support comes just days after Sens. Moran and Blumenthal – chairman and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the health and safety of U.S. Olympic and amateur athletes – introduced their sweeping legislation to reform the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee in response to findings of systemic abuse within the U.S. Olympic movement.

“We’re grateful to Senators Ernst, Shaheen, Capito, and Cortez Masto for supporting this vital legislation to protect and empower Olympic and amateur athletes,” said Sens. Moran and Blumenthal. “Their leadership delivers a powerful message to the courageous survivors who shared their stories with: Congress is determined to end the pattern of institutional failure that pervades Olympics and amateur sports. We’re committed to getting this bill passed and signed into law for these brave survivors, and for all future athletes, so that they can participate in the sport they love without fear of abuse or intimidation.”

“Sexual harassment and abuse have absolutely no place in our society, and we cannot continue to let our institutions to turn a blind eye to wrongdoings under their own watch,” said Sen. Ernst. “After calling for and concluding an investigation into the appalling, and far too numerous, accounts of sexual harassment and abuse of our amateur athletes, it’s clear that the fractured system of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) needs reorganization, and that’s what our bipartisan bill would ensure.”

“USOC has repeatedly failed athletes and has lost sight of its mission,” said Sen. Shaheen. “As an institution chartered by Congress, legislation to reform the Committee is urgently needed. I am grateful for the diligent and thorough investigative work of the Senate Commerce Committee that resulted in this bill and these critical first steps, and I’m proud to give my support. The heinous crimes of Larry Nassar, and other abuses across a variety of Olympic sports, have shed light on USOC’s negligence and indifference. There must be accountability and lasting change. On a bipartisan basis, this initial effort will help improve oversight at USOC so that our athletes are protected, empowered and heard.”

“Sexual abuse has no place in society whatsoever. After hearing countless stories of sexual abuse and reviewing the findings of the Senate Commerce Committee’s investigation, it is clear that the organization failed to protect these men and women,” said Sen. Capito. “I’m proud to co-sponsor this legislation that will help empower athletes and provide them with the reassurance that they are protected from similar situations in the future. It’s critical that we create additional measures of accountability and transparency to ensure that an incident of this size and scope never occurs again. Our legislation will accomplish that.”

“Our nation’s talented young men and women striving to achieve their Olympic dreams must feel safe, protected and valued within the Olympic movement,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “That’s why I’m proudly cosponsoring this important bipartisan legislation to provide more congressional oversight, prioritize the health and safety of athletes, and hold the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee accountable for turning a blind eye to sweeping and systematic abuse within the organization. We must protect our country’s athletes from any further trauma.”

The bipartisan Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019 is the culmination of an 18-month investigation conducted jointly by Sens. Moran and Blumenthal, which included four subcommittee hearings, interviews with Olympic athletes and survivors, and the retrieval of 70,000 pages of documents.

The Moran-Blumenthal Investigation & Legislation:

  • Click here to read the full Moran-Blumenthal investigative report, findings and recommendations.
  • Click here to read full bill text.
  • Click here to read a one-page summary of the bill.
  • Click here to read a section-by-section summary of the bill.
     

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) – both members of the Senate Committee on Banking – today led a bipartisan group of 33 senators in questioning Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on what efforts the Federal Reserve has underway to limit fraud and verify payee matching on wire payments. There is an increasing problem of wire fraud through business e-mail compromise and e-mail account compromise in the United States and this serious issue continues to put Americans – especially homebuyers – at risk of sending large payments to the wrong accounts with no recourse for getting that money back.

“We write to you concerning the increasing problem of wire fraud through business e-mail compromise (BEC) and e-mail account compromise (EAC) in the U.S.,” the senators wrote. “This method of fraud poses great risks to our constituents, specifically homebuyers. Confidence in our payment system’s ability to safely transfer large sums of money is an incredibly important part of the home buying process. We are concerned that the Federal Reserve’s policies on wire fraud lack the urgency of the problem . . . Given the rapidly increasing seriousness of the issue, we are interested in what efforts the Federal Reserve has underway to limit fraud and verify payee matching on wire payments.”

“We applaud Senators Moran and Van Hollen, along with the other senators, for their letter to Chairman Powell asking for information about the work the Federal Reserve is doing to protect consumers and the wire system from fraud,” said American Land Title Association CEO Diane Tomb. “Thieves use sophisticated fraud schemes to steal money when people are buying or selling homes and we must maintain confidence in our electronic payment system, which is the fastest and safest way to transfer money.”

Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

The Honorable Jerome Powell
Chairman
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20551

Dear Chairman Powell:

We write to you concerning the increasing problem of wire fraud through business e-mail compromise (BEC) and e-mail account compromise (EAC) in the U.S. This method of fraud poses great risks to our constituents, specifically homebuyers. Confidence in our payment system’s ability to safely transfer large sums of money is an incredibly important part of the home buying process.

We are concerned that the Federal Reserve’s policies on wire fraud lack the urgency of the problem. The Federal Reserve’s report last fall, “Changes in U.S. Payments Fraud from 2012 to 2016: Evidence from the Federal Reserve Payments Study,” does not even mention the issue of wire fraud. While other countries, like the United Kingdom, have taken proactive roles in preventing wire fraud, especially for real estate transactions, the Fed’s only other substantive effort to date appears to be the Secure Payments Task Force’s announcement to create and publish “recommended fraud definitions.”

Last summer, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a public service announcement titled, “Business E-mail Compromise the 12 Billion Dollar Scam.” The FBI reported that from 2015 to 2017 there was an 1100% increase in the number of real estate related e-mail compromise scams reported to the FBI. Of these scams, the amount of funds lost increased nearly 2200%. In fiscal year 2017 alone, the FBI reported that $969 million was “diverted or attempted to be diverted” from real estate purchases to “criminally controlled” accounts, an incredible increase from $19 million in 2016.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have also taken steps to raise awareness of this issue, issuing warnings to consumers on the dangers of wire fraud while urging consumers to “Protect Your Mortgage Closing from Scammers” and “Watch out for Mortgage Closing Scams.”

Given the rapidly increasing seriousness of the issue, we are interested in what efforts the Federal Reserve has underway to limit fraud and verify payee matching on wire payments.?

We would appreciate your response to the following: 

  1. 1.    What is the Federal Reserve doing to address criminal exploitation of weaknesses in the U.S. wire system to trick unsuspecting consumers into sending payments to the wrong financial account?
  1. 2.    Is the Federal Reserve coordinating with federal agencies on addressing wire fraud?
  1. 3.    How is the Federal Reserve working with financial institutions to decrease this type of wire fraud?
  1. 4.    Has the Federal Reserve considered payee matching requirements when a wire transfer is initiated?
  1. 5.    Does the Federal Reserve have sufficient authority to institute these protections for the U.S. wire system and the Federal Reserve’s Fed Wire system? If not, what authorities are needed to institute these protections?
  1. 6.    Can the wire system’s current technology accommodate payee verification? If not, is there a reason payee verification was not included in the Federal Reserve's evaluation of the future of the payments system?

Respectfully,

# # #

Sen. Moran Introduces Allergy Testing Access Act of 2019

Legislation would expand access and coverage of allergy testing; improve outcomes for seniors and children in rural populations

Jul 31 2019

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies – introduced the Allergy Testing Access Act of 2019, legislation that would expand access to allergy testing and ensure the proper diagnoses of allergies for patients, including the elderly, young children and individuals in rural communities.

“Too many Americans are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to how we diagnose and treat dangerous allergies,” said Sen. Moran. “Regardless of your age or where you live, folks ought to have equal access to allergy testing to ensure a proper diagnosis and treatment – and to avoid a potentially life-threating situation. This legislation creates fairness in the coverage and accessibility of these tests, and I urge my colleagues to pass this sensible measure.”

“The National Medical Association offers our strong support for this legislation that would remove Medicare and Medicaid coverage barriers that prevent many individuals from having coverage and access to safe and accurate allergy blood testing, and would improve health outcomes for Americans suffering from asthma and other serious and life-threatening allergic diseases,” said Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Subsection of the National Medical Association Chairperson Michael A. Lenoir, MD.

Allergic diseases are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, with more than 50 million Americans living with allergy symptoms, carrying an associated cost of over $18 billion per year.

Inconsistencies remain in Medicare and Medicaid coverage of allergy testing that both reduce access and increase overall costs. Peer-reviewed literature from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established the accuracy of both blood tests (in vitro specific IgE) and skin tests (percutaneous) as confirmatory tests for allergies. Despite this, many local Medicare and Medicaid coverage policies deny equal coverage and access to blood-based allergy tests. Currently, access is limited to areas in which a local coverage determination has been made by the Medicare Administrative Contractor to expand access to blood testing. Areas where equal coverage has been introduced have witnessed a reduction in overall costs per beneficiary without disruption of services, while retaining similar skin to blood test usage ratios.

Inequities in access to allergy tests which are safe and accurate only serve to proliferate negative health outcomes and alienate populations in rural settings that may not have access to a specialist. There is an unnecessary financial burden associated with healthcare disparities resultant from a lack of equal access to allergy testing coverage.

The Allergy Testing Access Act of 2019 addresses these inequalities by expanding access and ensuring proper diagnosis of allergies for patients – including the elderly and young children – in rural communities. This legislation will remove barriers which inhibit patient access to safe and accurate allergy tests, thereby empowering patients with personal healthcare information that can help them live healthy, productive lives.

Items to note:

  • To view a summary of the bill, click here.
  • To view the full text of the bill, click here.

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Sens. Moran, Blumenthal Introduce Sweeping U.S. Olympic Committee Reform Legislation, Following 18-Month Investigation into Systemic Abuse

“We will get this bill across the finish line . . . for all future athletes, so that they may be able to participate in the sport they love without fear of abuse”

Jul 30 2019

WASHINGTON – Just one year out from the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) – chairman and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the health and safety of U.S. Olympic and amateur athletes – today introduced sweeping legislation to reform the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee in response to findings of systemic abuse within the U.S. Olympic movement.

The bipartisan Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019 is the culmination of an 18-month investigation conducted jointly by Sens. Moran and Blumenthal, which included four subcommittee hearings, interviews with Olympic athletes and survivors, and the retrieval of over 70,000 pages of documents. Click here to read the senators’ full investigative report, findings and recommendations; here for a one-page summary of the bill; and here for full bill text.

“We are introducing the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act today to empower and protect Olympic and amateur athletes through three key reforms,” the senators said. “First and foremost, our legislation will implement requirements to promote a culture where athletes and their best interests are put first. Second, it will ensure greater transparency and accountability throughout the amateur sports movement, and, third, it will fortify the independence and capabilities of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the body responsible for investigating allegations of sexual abuse against athletes and coaches.”

“We have been incredibly moved by the courage of the survivors of abuse who have shared their stories with us and the world,” the senators continued. “Neither this legislation nor the ongoing, necessary cultural shift within the Olympic movement could have happened without their guidance and leadership. We draw motivation from their unwavering commitment to work with us to prevent the abuse of any young athlete in the future and we thank them for putting their trust in us. We will get this bill across the finish line – for them, and for all future athletes, so that they may be able to participate in the sport they love without fear of abuse.”

“On behalf of all members of Team USA, I thank Senators Moran and Blumenthal and the members of their subcommittee for listening to the voices of survivors and taking bold action to hold the US Olympic Committee accountable for their failure to protect athletes from physical, emotional and sexual abuse,” said Gymnast and Olympic Gold Medalist Jordyn Wieber. “Stronger oversight by Congress and a truly independent Center for SafeSport is necessary to restore public confidence in our Olympic organizations and protect the health and safety of athletes who strive to represent the highest values of our Nation.”

“Olympic athletes dream of standing on the podium and listening to our national anthem,” said McKayla Maroney, member of the American Women’s Gymnastics team, dubbed the Fierce Five at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she won a gold medal in the team and an individual silver medal in the vault event. “We have the right to expect that our United States Olympic Committee will protect all athletes, especially children. This bill recognizes that USOC failed us and put child athletes at risk. Congress should pass this bill as soon as possible and hold the leadership of USOC accountable for their failures.”

“This bill sends a message from Congress to our athletes: We care about you. You have a voice. Speak up and you will be believed,” said 2000 Olympic Bronze Medalist Jamie Dantzscher. “It also sends a message to the leadership of the US Olympic Committee and the national governing bodies: Put the health and safety of athletes above money and medals or you will be held accountable.”

The bipartisan Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019:

  • Empowers athletes by giving them a seat at the decision-making table, and significantly increases athlete representation on governing boards, committees and panels within NGBs and the USOPC to help identify problematic policies and practices faster, while prioritizing athlete-centric solutions;
  • Bolsters resources for the U.S. Center for SafeSport while ensuring its independence from the USOPC and the NGBs;
  • Requires relevant SafeSport training, so athletes know how to identify abuse, and so adults know how to prevent it;
  • Strengthens and codifies reporting mandates for adults with knowledge of any allegation of child abuse of an amateur athlete;
  • Protects individuals who report emotional, physical, or sexual abuse of an athlete from retaliation within the Olympic movement;
  • Promotes safety by requiring NGBs to enforce SafeSport sanctions and directing SafeSport to maintain a public list of all barred coaches and individuals;
  • Bolsters USOC auditing and reporting requirements, so that Congress can better provide regular oversight; and
  • Establishes legislative mechanisms by which Congress can dissolve the Board of the U.S. Olympic Committee and decertify NGBs.

 The Moran-Blumenthal Investigation & Legislation:

  • Click here to read the senators’ full investigative report, findings and recommendations.
  • Click here to read full bill text.
  • Click here to read a one-page summary of the bill.
  • Click here to read a section-by-section summary of the bill.

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