A bill designed to safeguard children and ensure justice against criminals passed the House this week and is headed to the Senate for approval.
The Child Abduction Prevention Act is a compilation of various bills that will expand the AMBER alert program, increase funding for the National Center for Missing Children and toughen penalties for child abductors.
The bill was co-sponsored by Utah Congressman Chris Cannon and supported by Congressman Jim Matheson.
"Congressman Cannon has eight children of his own and wants to protect them, and all children, from people seeking to hurt them," said Megan Riding, spokesperson for Cannon.
A number of high profile child abductions this summer, including the Elizabeth Smart case, have raised awareness of America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) plan, said Alyson Heyrend, spokesperson for Matheson.
The AMBER alert plan is a partnership between law enforcement agencies and broadcasters to use the Emergency Alert System to notify communities when a child is abducted.
The bill establishes a point of contact in the Justice Department to help individual states enhance and coordinate the network of nation wide AMBER plans, so criminals will not be able to easily transport children across state lines, said Heyrend.
The bill has allotted $20 million in federal grant money that states can use to enhance their own systems.
"The money will be distributed thought the Department of Transportation and Justice and will likely be used for highway signage, education programs and other equipment," Riding said.
The AMBER alert or similar plans are currently being used in 24 states. Since its inception in 1996, the plan has helped to return 32 children to their families, Heyrend said.
An average of 2,200 children are reported missing each day of the year.
The bill will give added funding to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The center's budget will be doubled to $20 million each year through 2004.
Penalties for criminals will also be increased.
The bill toughens penalties by mandating a minimum 20-year prison sentence for kidnapping, denying pretrial release for those who rape or kidnap children, eliminating the statute of limitations for child abduction and sex crimes, and ordering life imprisonment for twice-convicted child sex offenders.
Some provisions of the Child Abduction Prevention Act have already been passed the House of Representatives but have been blocked in the Senate.
"The house has passed this again in hopes that bringing it to the senate one more time will give it a better chance," Riding said.
"It is ridiculous because this bill is for the children," said Riding. "I can't think of any logical reason that the Democrats are blocking this bill."
Utah Senator Bob Bennett thinks that despite the current back in the Senate, the bill will pass quickly, said Mary Jane Collipriest, spokesperson for Bennett.
"Of all the things that will be passing through the Senate before we adjourn, this bill will definitely be one of them," Collipriest said.
Copyright Brigham Young University 9 Oct 2002
