[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S12602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            NATALEE HOLLOWAY

  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss an issue that has 
troubled me for many months, and that is the disappearance of an 
Alabama teenager, Natalee Holloway, from the island of Aruba. Most 
people have heard about this. It has been in the news for months.
  More than 5 months ago, on the early morning of May 30, Natalee 
Holloway disappeared from the island of Aruba. Since the start of the 
investigation into Natalee's disappearance, I, along with others, have 
been deeply troubled by the process that has taken place in Aruba. From 
the outset, there has been miscommunication and misinformation from the 
Aruban Government. The investigation has been plagued by 
inconsistencies and conflicting information, calling the integrity of 
the investigation itself into question. Since Natalee's disappearance, 
a number of suspects have been arrested, detained, and released without 
the benefit of any substantive information regarding her disappearance.
  I have made no secret of my concern regarding the handling of this 
case and the careless and inappropriate manner in which it appears the 
evidence has been handled. Nevertheless, I continue to believe that 
without the will of Natalee Holloway's mother, Beth Twitty, Natalee's 
disappearance would not have received the level of scrutiny in Aruba 
and around the world we have witnessed.
  It is disturbing that so many months have passed with no clear 
answers regarding the circumstances surrounding Natalee's 
disappearance. To that end, I joined Alabama GOV Bob Riley and others 
yesterday to call for a boycott of Aruba. Today, I call upon my 
colleagues to join me in that call.
  I understand this is a drastic measure, but I believe that we as 
Americans, along with others around the world, should carefully weigh 
our travel options until the Government of Aruba exhibits a good-faith 
effort to solve this case.
  For the safety, security, and well-being of our citizens, I do not 
believe we can trust that we will be protected while in Aruba. Quite 
frankly, if this can happen to Natalee Holloway, a teenager from my 
home State of Alabama, it could happen to any of us. That is why I 
believe a boycott is the answer. I hope the American people, when they 
think of traveling to the Caribbean this winter, will look at other 
options.

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