III 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 449 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 9, 2012 Mr. Kerry submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Calling on all governments to assist in the safe return of children abducted from or wrongfully retained outside the country of their habitual residence.

Whereas children should be protected internationally from the harmful effects of their wrongful removal or retention; Whereas people and governments around the world value the importance of family and respect the rights of custody and access of other countries; Whereas governments should take all possible measures to determine the location of abducted children; Whereas Colin Bower’s two young sons, Noor and Ramsay Bower, were illegally abducted from the United States by their mother in August 2009 and taken to Egypt; and Whereas the United States and 68 other countries that are partners to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, done at the Hague October 25, 1980, have agreed, and encourage all other countries to concur, that the appropriate court for determining the best interests of children in custody matters is the court in the country of their habitual residence: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate calls on officials of all governments and the competent courts to assist in the safe return of all abducted and wrongfully retained children to the state of their habitual residence, including the return of Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States.