[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 149 (Wednesday, October 22, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13056-S13057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 74--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS 
THAT A POSTAGE STAMP SHOULD BE ISSUED AS A TESTIMONIAL TO THE NATION'S 
TIRELESS COMMITMENT TO REUNITING AMERICA'S MISSING CHILDREN WITH THEIR 
FAMILIES, AND TO HONOR THE MEMORIES OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO WERE VICTIMS 
                        OF ABDUCTION AND MURDER

  Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. Shelby, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. DeWine, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Hagel, and Mr. Miller) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Governmental Affairs:

                            S. Con. Res. 74

       Whereas there are reported missing in the United States 
     approximately 2,000 children each day and up to 800,000 
     children each year;
       Whereas the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
     Children was established 19 years ago as the Nation's 
     resource center and clearinghouse for information on 
     America's missing children, and issued a national call to 
     action requesting the participation of every citizen to 
     assist in the search for the country's missing youth;
       Whereas it is the collective responsibility of all 
     Americans to better protect the Nation's children, as well as 
     to assist in the search for those who are missing;
       Whereas the issuance of a stamp bearing the image of a 
     missing child sends a powerful message, both at its unveiling 
     and on each letter on which it is sent, that Americans will 
     neither tolerate the victimization of their children nor rest 
     until each missing child is reunited with his or her family; 
     and
       Whereas the Missing Children's Stamp Committee, 
     headquartered in New York State, has collected more than 
     26,000 letters from around the world in support of such a 
     stamp: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) a postage stamp should be issued by the United States 
     Postal Service to honor all missing children; and
       (2) the Citizens' Stamp Commission of the United States 
     Postal Service should recommend to the Postmaster General 
     that such a stamp be issued.

  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague, Senator 
Shelby, to submit a resolution to encourage the United States Postal 
Service Stamp Advisory Committee to issue the National Missing and 
Exploited Children's Postage Stamp. I am proud to join my colleague 
Congressman Boehlert, the champion of this legislation in the House, 
and am honored to be a part of this effort.
  We introduce this resolution today on the 14th anniversary of the 
abduction of Jacob Wetterling. Jacob was only 11 years old when he was 
kidnapped at gunpoint while riding his bike on his way home from a 
convenience store in St. Joseph, MN. Though he was taken from his 
family and friends on this day his memory is still alive. With support 
from his community, Jacob's parents established the Jacob Wetterling 
Foundation, which has successfully advocated for local and national 
legislation to help prevent future abductions and to protect thousands 
of children from sexual predators.
  There are 800,000 parents every year, like the Wetterlings, who 
endure the loss of a child and are struggling to come to terms with the 
helplessness, anger, and frustration that consume them during the 
ensuing weeks and months. Many of my colleagues know all too well the 
agony of losing a child. As parents, community members, legislators, we 
are all affected when a child goes missing.
  I want to take this opportunity to recognize the important work of 
the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This 
organization was established by Congress in 1984 through the Missing 
Children's Assistance Act to carry out the mission of finding missing 
children, combating child sexual exploitation, and preventing child 
victimization. Through its partnership with 18,000 law enforcement 
agencies across the United States and abroad, NCMEC's is unparalleled 
in its commitment to this issue.
  Last year, I was proud to submit the Code Adam Act, a resolution 
encouraging public places to employ a Code Adam protocol to thwart 
child abductions in commercial establishments. The Code Adam protocol 
was named in memory of 6-year-old Adam Walsh, the son of John Walsh, 
co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 
and host of ``America's Most Wanted.'' Adam was murdered after being 
kidnapped from a Florida shopping mall in 1981. The Code Adam Protocol 
requires store employees to announce a ``Code Adam'' alert over the 
public-address system when a customer reports a missing child. All 
designated employees receive a brief description of the child, 
immediately stop their normal work to search for that child, and 
monitor all exists to help prevent the child from leaving the store. 
The Code Adam Act was approved by Congress in April of this year as 
part of the PROTECT Act and was signed into law on April 30, 2003 by 
the President. It will undoubtedly play an important role in finding 
missing children and returning them safely to their homes.
  I was also a proud cosponsor of the National AMBER Alert Network Act 
of 2003. This Act brings critical financial assistance to States to 
help them implement AMBER plans. It also creates an AMBER coordinator 
within the Department of Justice. AMBER, which stands for America's 
Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response was created in 1996 after the 
abduction and murder of Amber Hagerman in Texas. It's an emergency 
alert plan like that used in storm warnings that alerts a community 
about the recent disappearance of a child. With the help of the 
National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, the broadcast 
community, and members of law enforcement, the AMBER Alert helped find 
105 children

[[Page S13057]]

across the country. Justice Department Statistics show that 74 percent 
of kidnapped children who are later found murdered are killed within 
the first 3 hours of their abduction. The National Amber Alert Network 
Act will help law enforcement, in those early critical hours, as they 
work hard to find a missing child. I am pleased that it was also 
approved by Congress and signed into law as part of the PROTECT Act.

  Ten years ago, on August 18, 1993, Sara Ann Woods, a child of 
Herkimer County, NY, was abducted as she was riding home from her 
father's church in Litchfield, NY. After 3 years her kidnapper 
confessed to her murder, leaving the town devastated. Sara's death has 
been and continues to be the inspiration behind this legislation. I 
also want to mention Marc Klaas and John Walsh, the honorary co-
chairmen of the Missing Children's Stamp Committee in Mohawk Valley, 
NY, and Herkimer County Legislator John Brezinski, who has worked 
tirelessly on this effort.
  I am pleased to be joined in this effort with Senators Shelby, 
DeWine, Lincoln, Kennedy, Lautenberg, Hagel and Miller as original 
cosponsors.
  According to a poll by Zogby, more than two out of every three 
Americans support a National Missing and Exploited Children's Postage 
Stamp. This commemorative stamp will help raise awareness and honor 
these missing children and their families. This stamp will reach 
individuals across geographic and socioeconomic spectrums, and we know 
that when it comes to combating these terrible crimes, awareness is 
crucial. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I believe 
that it will make a difference in protecting the lives of our children.

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