[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 224 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.Con. Res.224
                                      Agreed to October 21, 1998        

                       One Hundred Fifth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
                                  eight


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas many children in the United States have been abducted by family 
  members who are foreign nationals and living in foreign countries;

Whereas children who have been abducted by an estranged father are very 
  rarely returned, through legal remedies, from countries that only 
  recognize the custody rights of the father;

Whereas there are at least 140 cases that need to be resolved in which 
  children have been abducted by family members and taken to foreign 
  countries;

Whereas, although the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International 
  Child Abduction, done at the Hague on October 25, 1980, has made 
  progress in aiding the return of abducted children, the Convention 
  does not address the criminal aspects of child abduction, and there 
  is a need to reach agreements regarding child abduction with 
  countries that are not parties to the Convention; and

Whereas decisions on awarding custody of children should be made in the 
  children's best interest, and persons who violate laws of the United 
  States by abducting their children should not be rewarded by being 
  granted custody of those children: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress urges international cooperation in working to resolve 
those cases in which children in the United States are abducted by 
family members who are foreign nationals and taken to foreign 
countries, and in seeing that justice is served by holding accountable 
the abductors for violations of criminal law.
  Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

  Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.