Jim Ramstad: “as the author of the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children Act, which became law in 1994, I am grateful we are voting…”

“as the author of the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children Act, which became law in 1994, I am grateful we are voting today to pass a bill to make it even stronger. The Wetterling Act was named after Jacob Wetterling, who was abducted by a stranger at gunpoint in St. Joseph, MN, in 1989. Jacob's parents, Patty and Jerry, worked tirelessly to help me pass the Wetterling Act. The Wetterling Act provides for the registration of convicted child sex offenders and violent sexual predators. This national tracking requirement was needed because of the propensity of these offenders to repeat their heinous crimes again and again after their release from prison. Some States--like my home State of Minnesota--already provided for sex offender registration, but many offenders simply moved to another State and avoided detection. The children of America and their families needed the Wetterling Act to protect them from those who prey on children. Every major law enforcement organization asked for it as a resource for investigating child abduction and molestation cases. Under the Wetterling bill, law enforcement was allowed to notify the community when the dangerous offenders required to register under the Wetterling Act were released and living in the area. The bill we are considering today, Megan's Law, will require community notification. I strongly support this strengthening of the Wetterling Act, to make our communities a safer place for our kids to grow up.”