[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 136 (Thursday, October 26, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H11199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 WE MUST ACT TO BRING OUR CHILDREN HOME

  (Mr. LAMPSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, Nadia Dabbagh was kidnapped in 1993 by her 
Syrian national father. She was 2 years old. Her mother has not seen 
her since. A Federal warrant was issued for the arrest of her abductor. 
Syria even issued a warrant for his arrest.
  Her mother, Maureen, went to the Islamic court in Syria in an effort 
to have her custody rights recognized in Syria. Amazingly, this 
American Christian woman also won, almost unheard of in Syria.
  In the last Congress, Senator Charles Robb sponsored a Senate 
resolution calling for the return of Nadia. It passed the Senate and 
has been ignored.
  With all of this effort, Nadia is still not home. Maureen has had no 
contact with her, no photos, nothing. She knows that Nadia is in Saudi 
Arabia. Even though she is not a Saudi, nor is her father, and even 
though her mother has custody orders and warrants from both the United 
States and Syria, she is no closer to bringing her daughter home.
  Nadia is now 10 years old. Her father has arranged a marriage to her 
cousin living in Syria. So even in adulthood she will not have the 
ability to come home if she so chooses. Nadia must be returned in order 
to protect her welfare and guarantee her American freedoms throughout 
her life. It is time now for us to act to bring our children home.

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