[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 98 (Thursday, July 18, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H4876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   STATE DEPARTMENT NOT HELPING RETRIEVE KIDNAPPED AMERICAN CHILDREN

  (Mr. LAMPSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue my talks about 
Ludwig Koons, the 9-year-old little United States citizen who is being 
held in the country of Italy.
  Last week I met with Ambassador Salleo of Italy, and I want to thank 
the Ambassador from Italy, for he is trying to help this American 
citizen come back home to the United States where he belongs.
  This is more than I can say for our own State Department. Two weeks 
ago the Washington Post ran a story on the removal of Mary Ryan from 
her position at the State Department. Ms. Ryan at one time was in 
charge of the office that handles international abduction of children. 
I am asking the State Department to look into the handling of that 
office over the past years, just as they are doing other offices that 
Ms. Ryan was in charge of.
  Jeff and Ludwig Koons, just like thousands of other parents, are not 
getting concrete help from our State Department. If the State 
Department does not do something about it, then Congress must. Please 
help us bring our children home.

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