Gilbert Gutknecht: “I join my colleague today, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Nick Lampson, and congratulate Texas law enforcement agents for…”

“I join my colleague today, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Nick Lampson, and congratulate Texas law enforcement agents for identifying a prime suspect in the kidnapping and murder of young Laura Smither, but I also share his frustration that things might have turned out differently. We need tougher mandatory sentences; we need more effective community notification programs. While every State now registers child sex offenders, many of their notification programs have been stalled by legal challenges and confusion. This is unacceptable. To help the States, 31 of my colleagues have joined me in introducing a resolution which gives the States a model community notification program that they can follow, if they choose. This resolution is not a Federal mandate. Instead, it expresses the sense of Congress that States should enact a tier-based system, like nine States have already done successfully. For example, a released sex offender posing a high risk of repeating his crimes moves into a community. Everyone, police officers, past victims, and, most importantly, neighborhood parents, are notified. As someone who served in the State legislature for 12 years, I urge my colleagues to join me in helping the States to protect America's children. Cosponsor House Concurrent Resolution 125.”