Jim Sensenbrenner: “Mr. Chairman, sexual predators target America's children every day in large cities, small towns, and even in cyberspace.…”

“Mr. Chairman, sexual predators target America's children every day in large cities, small towns, and even in cyberspace. Sexual exploitation of children, a prime motive for kidnapping, is on the rise. When it comes to abduction, rape, and murder of children, the United States must have a zero tolerance policy. H.R. 1104, the Child Abduction Prevention Act, is comprehensive legislation that directly and forcefully addresses these heinous crimes. The bill is virtually identical to H.R. 5422, which overwhelmingly passed the House last October by a vote of 390 to 24. Like so many other meritorious bills sent to the other body in the last Congress, this legislation was allowed to die by the Democrat leadership. An abducted child is a parent's worst nightmare. We must ensure that law enforcement has every possible tool necessary to try to recover a missing child quickly and safely. H.R. 1104 not only gets the word out after a kidnapping, but it also takes strong steps to prevent them from occurring in the first place. The bill strengthens penalties against kidnapping and aids law enforcement agencies to effectively prevent, investigate, and prosecute crimes against children. Prompt public alerts of an abducted child could be the difference between life and death for that innocent victim.”