[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 82 (Monday, May 19, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4094-H4095]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1142) recognizing May 25, 2008, as 
National Missing Children's Day, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1142

       Whereas May 25, 2008, will be the 26th National Missing 
     Children's Day;
       Whereas National Missing Children's Day honors our Nation's 
     obligation to locate and recover missing children by 
     prompting parents, guardians, and other trusted-adult role 
     models to make child safety an utmost priority;
       Whereas in the United States nearly 800,000 children are 
     reported missing a year, more than 58,000 children are 
     abducted by non-family members, and more than 2,000 children 
     are reported missing every day;
       Whereas Congress' efforts to provide resources, training, 
     and technical assistance has increased the capabilities of 
     State and local law enforcement to find children and to 
     return them home safely;
       Whereas the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz 
     served as the impetus for the creation of National Missing 
     Children's Day, first proclaimed in 1983; and
       Whereas Etan's photo was distributed nationwide and 
     appeared in media globally, and the powerful image came to 
     represent the anguish of thousands of searching families: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes National Missing Children's Day and 
     encourages all Americans to join together to plan events in 
     communities across America to raise public awareness about 
     the issue of missing children and the need to address this 
     national problem,
       (2) recognizes that one of the most important tools for law 
     enforcement to use in the case of a missing child is an up-
     to-date, good quality photograph and urges all parents and 
     guardians to follow this important precaution, and
       (3) acknowledges that National Missing Children's Day 
     should remind Americans not to forget the children who are 
     still missing and not to waver in the effort to reunite them 
     with their families.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Bishop) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days 
during which Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert 
extraneous material on H. Res. 1142 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise today in support of H. Res. 1142, which recognizes May 25, 
2008, as the 26th National Missing Children's Day and urges everyone to 
do what they can to prevent the tragedy of a missing child.
  In the late seventies, a succession of high-profile missing 
children's cases helped heighten the awareness and underline the 
seriousness of child victimization.

                              {time}  1430

  When Etan Patz went missing on his way to school in 1979, the first 
major national media campaign surrounding a missing child took place. 
The considerable media attention and comprehensive search helped 
highlight the problem of child abduction nationwide.
  Etan's case and others helped expose a flaw in the system. At that 
time, there was no national response system in place to coordinate 
State and local cooperation or a central mechanism to support searching 
families. In 1983, May 25 was proclaimed National Missing Children's 
Day, and a nationwide movement was born. May 25 was chosen because it 
is the anniversary of Etan's disappearance.
  More than 2,000 children are reported missing every day, but strides 
have been made to change this disturbing statistic. Programs such as 
the AMBER Alert Program, which notifies law enforcement officials and 
the public of child abduction cases, have done a lot to help return 
missing children to their families. To date, 329 children have been 
recovered because of the AMBER Alert Program.
  Each May, we reflect on missing children and renew our efforts to 
reunite those young people with their families. National Missing 
Children's Day is an opportunity to remind families of the importance 
of maintaining up-to-date photographs of their children and to 
encourage everyone to give their full attention to the photographs and 
posters of missing children. Anyone can be a hero and offer the tip 
that helps return children to their families.
  Protecting young children is one of our Nation's top priorities. On 
May 25 we will pause to remember the children whose lives have been 
lost, celebrate those who have been reunited with their families, and 
renew our efforts to continuing searching for children that are still 
missing.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Missing 
Children's Day, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an original cosponsor of House 
Resolution 1142, recognizing May 25, 2008, as National Missing 
Children's Day. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan declared May 25 to be 
National Missing Children's Day. In doing so, he provided an annual 
reminder of our Nation's obligation to locate and recover missing 
children. National Missing Children's Day prompts parents, guardians, 
and other trusted adult role models to make child safety a priority.
  It is tragic that every year thousands of children are abducted or go 
missing in our country. While more missing children come home safely 
today than ever before, there is still work to be done. Nearly 8,000 
children are reported missing each year in the United States. More than 
2,000 children are reported missing every day. Too many children do not 
make it home, and many more continue to be victimized by acts of 
violence. In fact, children are the most victimized segment of our 
society, and crimes committed against children of all ages are the most 
underreported of any victim category.
  In 1979, the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz served as the 
impetus for the creation of National Missing Children's Day. Etan's 
photo appeared in the media across the Nation and around the world. His 
image came to represent the anguish of thousands of families searching 
for their missing children. Today, local, State, and Federal law 
enforcement work diligently across the country in an effort to find 
children and reunite them with their families.
  In December 2007, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2517, the 
reauthorization of the Missing and Exploited Children's Program. I am 
proud to be the lead Republican sponsor of that bill, and am hopeful 
that we will be able to complete the reauthorization this Congress.
  Our efforts here in Congress provide resources, training, and 
technical assistance in order to assist in increasing the capabilities 
of State and local law enforcement to locate missing children. The 
recognition of May 25, 2008, as the 26th National Missing Children's 
Day serves to remind us that we still have work to do to reunite 
families, work that requires parents, families, neighbors, and law 
enforcement to come together to locate all missing children.
  For this reason, I am proud to join my fellow cochair of the 
Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, Mr. Lampson, in 
support of National Missing Children's Day, and thank him for 
introducing House Resolution 1142. I ask for my colleagues' support, 
and thank Mr. Bishop for managing this bill.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res 1142, Recognizing May 25, 2008, as National Missing 
Children's Day. First, I would like to thank

[[Page H4095]]

my distinguished colleague, Nick Lampson of Texas, for introducing this 
important legislation. The sole purpose of this bill is to build 
awareness around the issue of missing children for the purpose of 
finding children who are currently missing and to prevent future 
abductions.
  National Missing Children's Day honors our Nation's obligation to 
locate and recover missing children by prompting parents, guardians, 
and other trusted-adult role models to make child safety an utmost 
priority. It is important to create a voice within Congress on the 
issue of missing and exploited children and introduce legislation that 
would strengthen law enforcement, community organizing and school-based 
efforts to address child abduction.
  In the United States, nearly 800,000 children are reported missing a 
year, more than 58,000 children are abducted by non-family members, and 
more than 2,000 children are reported missing every day. It is also 
reported that 1,682,900 children ran away or were thrown away, while 
over 200,000 children were abducted by family members. The National 
Center for Missing & Exploited Children has been instrumental in 
improving the recovery rate from 62 percent to 96 percent.
  Between 1979 and 1981, a series of high-profile missing-children 
cases became national headlines. Three such cases contributed to the 
shock of the Nation's consciousness bringing attention to the 
seriousness of child victimization and forever changing the response by 
law-enforcement agencies to reports of missing children. For almost 3 
years, national media attention was focused on Atlanta, GA, where the 
bodies of young boys and girls were discovered in lakes, marshes, and 
ponds along roadside trails. By the time a suspect was arrested and 
identified in 1981, 29 bodies were recovered. The suspect was 
apprehended, convicted, and now serves a life sentence in prison.
  On May 25, 1979, Etan Patz disappeared from a New York City street on 
his way to school. Even before cases of missing children routinely 
garnered national media attention, Etan's case quickly received a lot 
of coverage. His father, a professional photographer, disseminated 
black-and-white photographs of Etan in an effort to find him. The 
massive search and media attention that followed focused the Nation's 
attention on the problem of child abduction and lack of plans to 
address it.
  The tragedies of these children and others exposed a fundamental 
flaw. There was no coordinated effort between Federal, State, and local 
law enforcement; no national response system in place; and no central 
resource to help searching families. When it came to handling missing-
children cases, the United States was a nation of 50 States often 
acting like 50 separate countries.
  Mr. Speaker, I recognize National Missing Children's Day and request 
that all Americans join together to plan events in communities across 
America to raise public awareness about the issue of missing children 
and the need to address this national problem. One of the most 
important tools for law enforcement to use in the case of a missing 
child is an up-to-date, good quality photograph. It is important we 
urge all parents and guardians to follow this important precaution, and 
I acknowledge that National Missing Children's Day should remind 
Americans not to forget the children who are still missing and not to 
waver in the effort to reunite them with their families.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. We have no further speakers, so I would yield 
back the balance of our time as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1142, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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