Nick Lampson: “the issue of international child abduction is one of the most important to me, and to the parents of the 10,000 American…”

“the issue of international child abduction is one of the most important to me, and to the parents of the 10,000 American children who have been abducted to foreign countries. These children have lost years of time with their parents, and their parents have missed watching them grow up. It is outrageous that American children are being held hostage in other countries by unlawful noncustodial parents and unresponsive foreign justice systems. In February of 1998, Aryssa Torabi was abducted by her father to Tehran, Iran. Aryssa's father was able to leave the country with fraudulent custody papers. A Federal warrant was issued for his arrest and the FBI has become involved in the case. In May of this year, Aryssa's mother found her through the work of a private investigator who was able to speak with the family, with the abductor's family, and get some pictures of her. The reports from the family are that Aryssa is extremely unhappy. Children like Aryssa and her mother should not be kept apart, we must continue to do all that we can to take action on this issue. Mr. Speaker, we must bring our children home.”