,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #hda  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #g1 #bjbj,mr4
 ,panetta 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,bacon1 ,mr4 
,cisn]os1 ,mr4 ,cr5%aw1 ,mr4 ,h>ris1    
,mr4 ,hudson1 ,ms4 ,jayapal1 ,mr4 ,lev9 
( ,mi*igan1 ,mr4 ,mal9[ski1 ,mr4        
,mc,govern1 ,mr4 ,mead[s1 ,mr4 ,posey1  
,mr4 ,rog]s ( ,k5tucky1 ,mr4 ,smi? (    
,wa%+ton1 ,mr4 ,suozzi1 & ,mr4 ,swalwell
 ( ,cali=nia7 submitt$ ! foll[+         
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,ov]sight & ,re=m  ,,resolution     
,support+ ! recognition & obs]vation (  
,april z ,int]national ,p>5tal ,*ild    
,abduction ,mon? to raise aw>5ess (1 &  
opposition to1 int]national p>5tal *ild 
abduction4  ,:]eas m ?an #i1jjj *ildr5 9
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h be5 abduct$ & remov$ 
f ! c\ntry by "o ( _! p>5ts betwe5 #bjjh
 & #bjae1 sep>at+ ^? *ildr5 f p>5ts     
rema9+ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas x is   
illegal "u section #abjd ( title #ah1   
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to remove1 or      
attempt to remove1 a *ild f ! ,unit$    

,/ates or reta9 a *ild 7:o has be5 9 !  
,unit$ ,/ates7 outside ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 ) ! int5t to ob/ruct ! lawful ex]cise (
 p>5tal rights2 ,:]eas ne>ly #hjj *ildr5
 exp]i5c$ int]national p>5tal *ild      
abduction dur+ #bjah2 ,:]eas1 dur+      
#bjah1 ov] #ajg c\ntries 7 involv$ 9 "o 
or m cases ( int]national p>5tal *ild   
abduction relat+ to *ildr5 :o are ,unit$
 ,/ates citiz5s2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
is a p>ty to ! ,conv5tion on ! ,civil   
,aspects ( ,int]national ,*ild          
,abduction1 done at ,! ,hague1 ,octob]  
#be1 #aihj1 :i*--  7#a7 supports !      
prompt return ( wrongly remov$ or reta9$
 *ildr52 &  7#b7 calls = all p>ticipat+ 
p>ties to respect p>5tal cu/ody rights2 
,:]eas a significant numb] ( *ildr5 :o h
 be5 abduct$ f ! ,unit$ ,/ates h yet to 
be reunit$ ) _! cu/odial p>5ts2 ,:]eas1 
dur+ #bjah1 n9e c\ntries 7 id5tifi$ "u !
 ,sean & ,david ,goldman ,int]national  
,*ild ,abduction ,prev5tion & ,return   
,act ( #bjad 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #iaja et    
seq47 z engag+ 9 a patt]n (             

noncompliance2 ,:]eas ! ,supreme ,c\rt (
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates has recogniz$ t family 
abduction-- 7#a7 is a =m ( *ild abuse ) 
pot5tially deva/at+ consequ5ces = a     
*ild1 t may include negative impacts on 
! physical & m5tal well-be+ ( ! *ild2 & 
7#b7 c cause a *ild to exp]i5ce a loss (
 community & /ability1 lead+ to         
lonel9ess1 ang]1 & fe> ( ab&onm5t2      
,:]eas1 accord+ to ! #bjaj ,report on   
,compliance ) ! ,hague ,conv5tion on !  
,civil ,aspects ( ,int]national ,*ild   
,abduction by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1      
rese>* %[s t an abduct$ *ild is at risk 
( significant %ort- & long-t]m problems1
 includ+ anxiety1 eat+ problems1        
nightm>es1 mood sw+s1 sleep di/urbances1
 & aggressive behavior2 ,:]eas          
int]national p>5tal *ild abduction has  
deva/at+ emotional consequ5ces n only = 
! *ild1 b also = ! p>5t f :om ! *ild is 
sep>at$2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates has a   
hi/ory ( promot+ *ild welf>e ?r\gh      
in/itutions includ+-- 7#a7 9 ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices--  7,a7 !   

,adm9i/ration = ,*ild & ,families2 &    
7,b7 ! ,*ildr5's ,bureau2 &  7#b7 9 !   
,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1 ! ,(fice ( ,*ildr5's 
,issues2 ,:]eas1 ov] ! previ\s #bj ye>s1
 ! ,national ,c5t] = ,miss+ & ,exploit$ 
,*ildr5 has provid$ pr(essional         
assi/ance & support s]vices =           
int]national family abduction cases     
involv+ *ildr5 wrongfully remov$ f or   
reta9$ outside ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas
 ! ,coalition to ,end ,int]national     
,p>5tal ,*ild ,abduction1 ?r\gh d$icat$ 
advocacy & regul> te/imony1 has         
highlight$ ! importance ( ?is issue to  
,congress & call$ on successive         
adm9i/rations to take conc]t$ action to 
/op int]national p>5tal *ild abduction2 
,:]eas ,congress has signal$ a commitm5t
 to end+ int]national p>5tal *ild       
abduction by enact+ ! ,int]national     
,*ild ,abduction ,rem$ies ,act 7#bb     
,u4,s4,c4 #ijja et seq471 !             
,int]national ,p>5tal ,kidnapp+ ,crime  
,act ( #aiic 7,public ,law #ajc-agc2    
#ajg ,/at4 #aiih71 & ! ,sean & ,david   

,goldman ,int]national ,*ild ,abduction 
,prev5tion & ,return ,act ( #bjad 7#bb  
,u4,s4,c4 #iaja et seq472 ,:]eas        
,congress calls ^u ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate  
to fully utilize ! tools available "u ! 
,sean & ,david ,goldman ,int]national   
,*ild ,abduction ,prev5tion & ,return   
,act ( #bjad 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #iaja et    
seq47 to negotiate1 & make publicly     
available1 bilat]al agreem5ts or        
memor&ums ( und]/&+1 ) c\ntries n p>ty  
to ! ,hague ,conv5tion on ,abduction to 
resolve abduction & access cases1 & to  
negotiate1 & make publicly available1   
bilat]al agreem5ts or memor&ums (       
und]/&+1 reg>d+ op5 abduction & access  
cases pr$at+ ! ,hague ,conv5tion on     
,abduction ) c\ntries t h !reaft] become
 a p>ty to ! ,hague ,conv5tion on       
,abduction2 ,:]eas all #ej ,/ates & !   
,di/rict ( ,columbia h enact$ laws      
crim9aliz+ p>5tal kidnapp+2 ,:]eas1 9   
#bjah1 ! ,prev5tion ,bran* ( ! ,(fice ( 
,*ildr5's ,issues ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,/ate--  7#a7 field$ ov] #e1bjj         

inquiries f ! g5]al public relat+ to    
prev5t+ a *ild f be+ remov$ f ! ,unit$  
,/ates2 &--  7#b7 enroll$ ov] #d1gjj    
*ildr5 9 ! ,*ildr5's ,passport ,issuance
 ,al]t ,program1 :i*-- 7,a7 is "o ( !   
mo/ important tools ( ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,/ate = prev5t+ int]national p>5tal *ild
 abduction2 &  7,b7 all[s ! ,(fice (    
,*ildr5's ,issues to contact ! enroll+  
p>5t or legal gu>dian to v]ify :e!r !   
p>5tal cons5t requirem5t has be5 met :5 
a passport application has be5 submitt$ 
= an enroll$ *ild2  ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,/ate _c track ! ultimate de/9ation ( a
 *ild ?r\gh ! use ( ! passport ( ! *ild 
issu$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate if ! *ild  
is transport$ to a ?ird c\ntry aft]     
dep>t+ f ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas a *ild 
:o is a citiz5 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates may h  
ano!r nationality & may travel us+ a    
passport issu$ by ano!r c\ntry1 :i*--   
7#a7 increases ! difficulty 9 det]m9+ ! 
:]eab\ts ( ! *ild2 &  7#b7 makes ef=ts  
to prev5t abductions all ! m critical2  
,:]eas1 9 #bjah1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,homel&  

,security1 9 coord9ation ) ! ,prev5tion 
,bran* ( ! ,(fice ( ,*ildr5's ,issues ( 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1 enroll$ #bcf *ildr5
 9 ! ,prev5t ,abduction ,program1 :i* is
 aim$ at prev5t+ int]national p>5tal    
*ild abduction ?r\gh coord9ation )      
,cu/oms & ,bord] ,patrol (fic]s at      
airport1 seaport1 & l& bord]            
ports-(-entry2 & ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
%\ld cont9ue to play a lead]%ip role 9  
rais+ aw>5ess ab\t ! deva/at+ impacts ( 
int]national p>5tal *ild abduction by   
educat+ ! public ab\t ! negative        
emotional1 psy*ological1 & physical     
consequ5ces to *ildr5 & p>5ts victimiz$ 
by int]national p>5tal *ild abduction3  
,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives supports ! recognition &
 obs]vation ( ,int]national ,p>5tal     
,*ild ,abduction ,mon? to raise aw>5ess 
(1 & opposition to1 int]national p>5tal 
*ild abduction4