[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8581-8582]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION ACT

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                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2003

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under

[[Page 8582]]

     consideration the bill (H.R. 1104) to prevent child 
     abduction, and for other purposes:
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1104 the 
Child Abduction Prevention Act. This legislation takes a significant 
step toward bringing child abductors to justice by aiding law 
enforcement agencies to effectively prevent, investigate and prosecute 
crimes against children. H.R. 1104 also provides families and 
communities with immediate and effective assistance to recover a 
missing child through the AMBER Alert Network Plan. I believe it is 
important that the federal government send a clear message to child 
abductors that their actions will not go unpunished, and that we will 
take the appropriate measures to ensure the protection of our children.
  I am disappointed, however, that the Republican majority chose to add 
a number of provisions to this legislation that I oppose, including an 
expansion of the death penalty, making it easier to authorize wiretaps 
against criminal suspects, and establishing mandatory life sentences 
for certain crimes. It is unfortunate that these failed, controversial 
provisions were added to such an important piece of legislation.
  I will continue to support measures designed to keep child abductors 
off the street, and increase security for the children in our 
neighborhoods and communities. Furthermore, I remain opposed to the 
death penalty, expanded surveillance measures that violate our civil 
liberties, and mandatory sentencing guidelines that take away the 
discretion of a judge to decide a case fairly and justly. It's 
regrettable we could not pass a clean bill that reflects all of these 
ideas.

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