Senator calls for hearing in Penn State case

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is asking for a hearing into how federal laws apply to the investigation of the child sex-abuse case that has enveloped Penn State University.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Richard Burr, Casey wants an expedited hearing in the Subcommittee on Children and Families to see how well federal laws protect children and to ensure that provisions for reporting suspected cases are in place.

Pennsylvania is not one of the 18 states that require all adults to report suspected child abuse.

The request results from the state investigation into Jerry Sandusky, who is charged with abusing eight children over a 15-year period.

Also charged are a pair of Penn State administration officials. They are accused of not reporting alleged abuse on the campus to law enforcement.