Robert Berry: “the kidnapping of a child is a terrible crime that should not be tolerated. However, it is something that happens all…”

“the kidnapping of a child is a terrible crime that should not be tolerated. However, it is something that happens all too often with the perpetrator actually being rewarded in some cases. There are hundreds of unresolved cases in which children have been abducted by a noncustodial parent and taken to a foreign country. Some of these countries are allowing the kidnappers to illegally keep the children without fear of prosecution or ever having to face extradition. Our legal system makes decisions involving the custody of children based on what is in the best interest of the child. Once such arrangements are made, no one should ever be rewarded for the illegal abduction of a child from our country by being able to keep the child and thumb their nose at authority. Such crime imposes horrible grief and suffering upon the parent from whom the child is taken. Tomorrow I will be introducing a resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that the international community must work together to resolve cases where kidnapped children are taken abroad. Mr. Speaker, this is a serious problem that should be treated as a high priority issue by the United States Government in its relations with other countries. By giving this resolution our full consideration and support, we will be sending a strong signal of our support for the rights of children.”