[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H3079-H3080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN

  (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to rise today. We had a 
reception this morning for the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited Children, where we honored many of the police heroes that 
have helped bring back home some of our children that have been lost 
throughout our Nation.
  It is sad enough to read the headlines. There was the slaying of 
Michelle Montoya, 18, a popular Rio Linda High School student whose 
body was found in the school wood shop on Friday, and a high school 
janitor accused in the death of the student had a history of violence, 
but school officials waited until after he was on the job before 
seeking background information from the State.
  A child's life has been lost because we failed to do our job, and we 
find out had they done it properly, that this person who was accused of 
the crime had a violent past, had been in jail for 12 years for 
manslaughter. How many more children have to die before we do what is 
appropriate in protecting our defenseless children?
  I want to commend the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children for all they have done to help reunite children with their 
families. But we have to do more. Our most precious resource in this 
country is our children.

[[Page H3080]]

They are vulnerable, they need our assistance, they need the help of 
Government.

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