Nick Lampson: “I rise today to continue delivering my 1-minute stories on the issue of international child abduction. On October 22…”

“I rise today to continue delivering my 1-minute stories on the issue of international child abduction. On October 22, 1994, after learning that she was going to lose custody of her children, Mrs. Isabel Felix Leon fled to Mexico with Margaret and William Leon Sandige. At the time of the abduction, Margaret was 6 and William was 1. After the abduction, the children's father, William Sandige, was granted full custody; and warrants for the mother's arrest were issued. In November of 1995, the mother was arrested at a border crossing without the children and was released after revealing their location. Under the Hague treaty, Mr. Sandige was awarded full custody of the children from the Mexican court system; however, the abductor appealed the decision to the Supreme Court and has blocked further progress on the case. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Sandige's children are now 11 and 6 years old. They have spent 6 years apart from each other. It is time to end their separation and the separation of thousands of other parents and children who are being forced apart. It is time, Mr. Speaker, to bring our children home.”