[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 5, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     URGING COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT NATIONAL AMBER ALERT NETWORK ACT

  (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 urge my colleagues to 
support the National Amber Alert Network Act. As founder and chairman 
of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus I am an 
original cosponsor, along with the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. 
Dunn) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), in this commonsense, 
bipartisan legislation.
  Similar legislation passed last year in the House and in the Senate 
in separate bills, but the 107th Congress ended before the final 
decisions were made. However, in October of 2002, President Bush 
endorsed the program and signed an executive order that set in place 
many of the provisions of the legislation. He also pledged $10 million 
for Amber Plan training and equipment upgrades, but still urges 
Congress to pass the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to please bring this bill to the floor 
quickly and pass it. It is crucial to providing every community with 
the resources needed to set up the Amber Alert and to improving the 
effectiveness of existing Amber Plans. The Senate passed it last month. 
It is our duty to do so as quickly as possible.

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