[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 159 (Wednesday, November 12, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H10641-H10642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AUTHORIZING USE OF OFFICIAL MAIL IN LOCATION AND RECOVERY OF MISSING 
                    CHILDREN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1378) to extend the authorization of use of official 
mail in the location and recovery of missing children, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1378

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF USE OF OFFICIAL MAIL 
                   IN THE LOCATION AND RECOVERY OF MISSING 
                   CHILDREN.

       The Act entitled ``An Act to amend title 3, United States 
     Code, to authorize the use of penalty and franked mail in 
     efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing 
     children'', approved August 9, 1985 (39 U.S.C. 3220 note; 
     Public Law 99-87), is amended--
       (1) in section 3(a) by striking ``June 30, 1997'' and 
     inserting ``June 30, 2002''; and
       (2) in section 5 by striking ``December 31, 1997'' and 
     inserting ``December 31, 2002''.


[[Page H10642]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. McHugh] and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah] each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh].
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Senate bill 1378 was passed by the Senate on November 5, 1997. It was 
referred jointly to the Committee on House Oversight and the Committee 
on Government Reform and Oversight for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation extends the authorization for use of 
official mail in the location and recovery of missing children through 
December 31, 2002. Authorization was initially approved on August 9, 
1985, and extended in October of 1992. This authorization will expire 
at the end of this year.
  Mr. Speaker, the legislation enables Members of Congress to mail a 
photo and description of missing children that are provided by the 
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in their franked 
mail to raise public awareness in an effort to locate these children. 
Currently, Mr. Speaker, some 20 Members use this authority regularly to 
mail those types of materials.
  There is, Mr. Speaker, understandably great national concern 
regarding the growing problem of missing children. It is indeed one of 
the greatest fears for parents throughout this Nation. Because of this 
concern, a Missing Children's Caucus was organized earlier this year in 
the House.
  Mr. Speaker, the extension of authority of use of official mail in 
the location and recovery of missing children is a very meritorious 
program, and would I urge our colleagues to support this legislation 
thereby extending the current program through the year 2002.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me join with my colleague the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. McHugh], the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Postal Service, in urging the House to favorably consider Senate bill 
1378. This is a very important and very needed reauthorization of a 
practice that has already been, as my colleague has mentioned, 
implemented by many Members here in the House.
  The issue of missing children is something that is on the minds of 
parents throughout this Nation. And in my home city of Philadelphia, 
unfortunately, there have been several instances in which children have 
been missing for a long time. The Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children is a very important establishment, and this provision that 
allows both Members of the Senate and House to use frank mail in a way 
in which I am sure even those that have been the most enthusiastic 
critics of frank mail for this purpose is something that we all would 
support.
  Mr. Speaker, we do not have any further speakers on our side, so we 
would like to yield back the remainder of our time, assuming that the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] is the last speaker on his side.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I am, indeed, the only speaker on our side. So let me very briefly, 
in closing, extend my deepest appreciation to the ranking member, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah]. In these times of difficulty 
in the House and in the Senate, when we are working toward a close of 
the session, we far too often dwell upon those things that perhaps take 
us apart. And in this effort, we see something that, as the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fattah] has stated so eloquently, brings us 
together. And I thank my colleague for his efforts and for that side of 
the aisle very helpful assistance in bringing this bill to the floor.
  I would urge all of our colleagues to support this very, very worthy 
program through this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. McHugh] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 1378.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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