Nick Lampson: “I rise today to begin my series of one- minutes that recognize the enormous problem that this Nation has with children…”

“I rise today to begin my series of one- minutes that recognize the enormous problem that this Nation has with children who have been abducted internationally. There are over 10,000 American children who have been taken to foreign countries, like Saif Ahmed from my district. My constituent, Melanie Al Mufti, was awarded sole custody of her son in 1998, but he was abducted by his father, Sayed Ahmed, to Cairo, Egypt, that same year. He was ordered to return the child to Texas, but instead, he ignored the order, and since then there is an FBI warrant out for his arrest. Melanie contacted me that year, and I have been working closely with her ever since. She has worked with the Egyptian courts. I have worked with the Egyptian government, even spoken with President Mubarek. Yet Melanie has not had contact with her son since his abduction. Melanie and parents like her need our help. I will be introducing bills that will focus on reuniting parents with their children. Madam Speaker, it is time for Congress, the media, and the American people to stand up for Melanie and Saif and the other American families who are being kept apart. We must bring our children home. ____________________”