Tom Lantos: “Let me at the outset pay tribute and commend the author of this resolution, my friend and colleague, the gentleman from…”

“Let me at the outset pay tribute and commend the author of this resolution, my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Berry), because he is dealing with an issue of extreme importance. Of all the hundreds of hearings that I have participated in during the course of years, probably none was more moving than a hearing I chaired on a situation involving children of American women abducted by their fathers to Saudi Arabia. Now, I think it is extremely important to bear in mind that while many countries are involved in matters that this legislation attempts to deal with, the vast number of the children are taken to countries where only the father's rights are recognized. In such cases, the left-behind mother is utterly helpless and hopeless, and the anguish and suffering of both the mother and the children is beyond comprehension. I believe this resolution, which attempts to deal with unresolved cases of child abduction cases, will focus both public and media attention on this outrage, and it is my earnest hope that at least international embarrassment might induce some of the governments to be more forthcoming in dealing with these matters.”