    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [July 27, 2006]
    [Pages 1453-1454]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Signing the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of
    2006
    July 27, 2006

        The President. Thank you all for coming. Please be seated. Welcome
    and good afternoon. In a few moments, I will sign the Adam Walsh Child
    Protection and Safety Act of 2006. Twenty-five years ago today, Adam
    Walsh was abducted from a department store, and he was later found
    murdered. In the years since, his parents, John
    and Reve Walsh, have become advocates for missing
    children. They've helped combat child abduction and exploitation across
    this country. And the bill I sign today will strengthen Federal laws to
    protect our children from sexual and other violent crimes, will help
    prevent child pornography, and will make the Internet safer for our sons
    and daughters. I want to thank you all for joining us today, and thank
    you for your tireless crusade.
        I'm pleased to be up here with the Attorney General, Al
    Gonzales. I want to thank all the
    Members of the House and the Senate who have joined us. John, as you can see, you've attracted quite a crowd here.
        John Walsh. S.W.A.T. team for kids.
        The President. Yes, it is, S.W.A.T. team for kids.
        I appreciate very much the bill sponsors who have joined us and the
    committee chairmen and the leadership that has made this bill possible.
    This is a good piece of bipartisan legislation, and I'm really going to
    be proud to sign it.
        I want to thank all the family members of victims who have joined us
    today. I particularly want to say hello to Elizabeth Smart and Amie Zyla. Thank you
    all for coming.
        You know, having someone harm your child is one of the worst
    nightmares a parent could face. And the families who have joined us
    today have felt that pain firsthand. In your suffering and loss, many of
    you have found the courage to become advocates for the safety of other
    children. Because of your efforts, this important measure is going to
    become the law of the land, and the children of parents you may never
    meet will be spared the anguish your families have known. So thank you
    for your contribution.
        Protecting our children is our solemn responsibility. It's what we
    must do. When a child's life or innocence is taken, it is a terrible
    loss; it's an act of unforgivable cruelty. Our society has a duty to
    protect our children from exploitation and danger. By enacting this law,
    we're sending a clear message across the country: Those who prey on our
    children will be caught, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent
    of the law.
        I appreciate working with Congress in the past to give law
    enforcement the tools they need to go after criminals who kidnap and
    exploit children. In 2003, I signed the PROTECT Act, that expanded the
    use of Amber Alerts, that makes grants to all 50 States so law
    enforcement can quickly alert the public about missing children and
    their abductors. We also launched Operation Predator to help law
    enforcement track down and arrest foreign pedophiles and human
    traffickers and sex tourists and Internet pornographers who prey on our
    children.
        Earlier this year, the Department of Justice, led by Al
    Gonzales, launched Project Safe
    Childhood to help Federal, State, and local enforcement officials
    investigate and prosecute crimes against children that are facilitated
    by the Internet and other electronic communications.
        This new law I sign today builds on the progress in four important
    ways. First, the bill I sign today will greatly expand the

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    National Sex Offender Registry by integrating the information in State
    sex offender registry systems and ensuring that law enforcement has
    access to the same information across the United States. It seems to
    make sense, doesn't it? See, these improvements will help prevent sex
    offenders from evading detection by moving from one State to the next.
    Data drawn from this comprehensive registry will also be made available
    to the public so parents have the information they need to protect their
    children from sex offenders that might be in their neighborhoods.
        Second, the bill I sign today will increase Federal penalties for
    crimes against children. This bill imposes tough mandatory minimum
    penalties for the most serious crimes against our children. It increases
    penalties for crimes such as sex trafficking of children and child
    prostitution, provides grants to States to help them institutionalize
    sex offenders who've shown they cannot change their behavior and are
    about to be released from prison.
        Third, the bill I sign today will make it harder for sex predators
    to reach our children on the Internet. Some sex predators use this
    technology to make contact with potential victims, so the bill
    authorizes additional new regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task
    Forces. These task forces provide funding and training to help State and
    local law enforcement combat crimes involving the sexual exploitation of
    minors on the Internet.
        Fourth, the bill I sign today will help prevent child abuse by
    creating a National Child Abuse Registry and requiring investigators to
    do background checks on adoptive and foster parents before they approve
    to take custody of a child. By giving child protective service
    professionals in all 50 States access to this critical information, we
    will improve their ability to investigate child abuse cases and help
    ensure that the vulnerable children are not put into situations of abuse
    or neglect.
        This is a comprehensive piece of legislation, and it's an important
    bill. Our Nation grieves with every family that's suffered the
    unbearable pain of a child who's been abducted or abused. This law makes
    an important step forward in this country's efforts to protect those who
    cannot protect themselves.
        I thank you for coming for witness to this. It's now my high honor
    to sign the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:11 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Elizabeth A. Smart and Amie Zyla,
    child protection advocates. H.R. 4472, approved July 27, was assigned
    Public Law No. 109-248.