| 00:00:02 | CONVERSATIONS] |
| 00:00:03 | >> TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE, BEGINNING WITH MR. |
| 00:00:06 | DAVID GOLDMAN, THE FATHER OF SHAUN GOLDMAN BORN IN REDBANK IN 2000. |
| 00:00:14 | WAS ABDUCTED TO BRAZIL IN 2004 AND HE SPENT FIVE YEARS SPENDING E NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF TIMES AND RESOURCES AND HAD A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE SUPPORTING HIM IN THE COMMUNITY TO SECURE THE RETURN OF HIS SON. |
| 00:00:27 | IN DECEMBER OF 2009, I HAD THE EXTRAORDINARY PRIVILEGE OF BEING WITH DAVID AND SHAUN WHEN THEY WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES. |
| 00:00:37 | MR. GOLDMAN RECENTLY PUBLISHED A BOOK ABOUT HIS ORDEAL ENTILED "A FATHER'S LOVE" AND HE'S BEEN A TRAIL BLAZER IN OPENING THE EYES OF COUNTRY OF THE AGONY ENDURED BY LEFT BEHIND PARENTS. |
| 00:00:56 | HE IS THE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE OF CHILD ABDUCTION. |
| 00:00:59 | WE KNOW ABOUT IT, WORKED ON IT, MANY OF US FOR MANY YEARS, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL DAVID GOLDMAN OPENED THE EYES OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND HOPEFULLY OTHER POLICYMAKERS AROUND THE WORLD THAT THEY REALIZE JUST HOW THE HAGUE CONVENTION IS OFTEN GAMED BY COUNTRIES, IN THIS CASE, BRAZIL, WHERE ENDLESS APPEALS CAN BE LAUNCHED BY THE ABDUCTING SO-CALLED FAMILY, THE KIDNAPPERS, AND FRANKLY THAT PROCESS CAN BE CARRIED ON WEEKEND AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH, YEAR AFTER YEAR, PRECLUDING THE RETURN OF ABDUCTED FAMILY MEMBERS. |
| 00:01:43 | HE REALLY REFOCUSED A MOVEMENT THAT HE LAUNCHED BY HIS LEADERSHIP, AND I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR IT. |
| 00:01:51 | ALL THE OTHER LEFT BEHIND PARENTS HAVE BEEN TENACIOUS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, BUT THE BREAKTHROUGH CASE, I THINK, WILL HELP EVERYONE ELSE, AND THAT'S OUR, I THINK, THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S HOPE. |
| 00:02:04 | I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SARAH EDWARDS, A MOTHER OF A 3-YEAR-OLD, AND ELI'S FATHER TOOK HIM TO TURKEY IN 2010 AND REFUSES TO RETURN HIM TO HIS MOTHER. |
| 00:02:21 | SHE WORKS IN OHIO AND IS SEEKING CONCRETE ASSISTANCE IN NAVIGATING THE OB KLS -- OBSTACLES OF HER FIGHT. |
| 00:02:31 | WE HAVE ANOTHER PARENT WHO IS ON HIS WAY, NOT HERE YET, BUT I WANT TO ASK MR. |
| 00:02:37 | GOLD MAN TO FREED WITH HIS TESTIMONY AS HE WOULD LIKE. |
| 00:02:44 | >> THANK YOU. |
| 00:02:46 | LET MY TAKE US BACK IN TIME A LITTLE BIT. |
| 00:02:49 | GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. |
| 00:02:53 | I'M HONORED FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO TESTIFY BEFORE YOU TODAY. |
| 00:02:58 | FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, I WALKED IN THE SHOES OF THE LEFT BEHIND PARENT. |
| 00:03:03 | I LIVED IN A WORLD OF DISUPON DEN SIGH AND DECEMBER PER RATION AND A SERING PAIN THROUGH MY BEING AND EVERYWHERE I TURNED I SAW MY AB DUCTED CHILD. |
| 00:03:19 | SLEEP WAS HARD TO COME BY. |
| 00:03:21 | IF I SMILED, I FELT GUILT. |
| 00:03:23 | WHEN I SAW CHILDREN, WHETHER IT WAS IN THE STORE, A PARK, OR ON TELEVISION OR ON MY CHARTER BOAT WHERE CLIENTS TAKE THEIR FAMILIES FOR A DAY ON THE WATER, IT WAS MORE THAN PAINFUL. |
| 00:03:36 | IT WAS TOO PAINFUL TO BE AROUND MY OWN FAMILY MEMBERS OR COULD NOT BE AROUND MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS. |
| 00:03:44 | IT WAS TOO PAINFUL. |
| 00:03:45 | WHERE WAS MY SON? |
| 00:03:46 | WHERE WAS MY CHILD? |
| 00:03:47 | HE HAD BEEN ABDUCTED. |
| 00:03:49 | HE WAS BEING HELD ILLEGALLY. |
| 00:03:52 | HE WAS BEING PSYCHOLOGICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND MENTALLY ABUSED. |
| 00:03:59 | I NEEDED TO HELP HIM, TO SAVE HIM. |
| 00:04:02 | HE NEEDED ME, HIS FATHER. |
| 00:04:03 | IT WAS OUR LEGAL, MIRANDA MORAL, OUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO BE TOGETHER AS PARENT AND CHILD. |
| 00:04:09 | I DID EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE LEAVING NO STONE UNTURNED, BUT FOR MANY YEARS, THE RESULT REMAINED THE SAME, SHAUN WAS NOT HOME. |
| 00:04:22 | ALTHOUGH I REMAINED DETERMINED AND HOPEFUL, I MUST ADMIT THE OUTLOOK FOR A PERMANENT REUNION WITH MY ABDUCTED CHILD OFTEN SEEMED BLEAK AT BEST. |
| 00:04:32 | I FELTED LIKE A -- I FELT LIKE A DEAD MAN WALKING AND I WAS A SHELL OF THE MAN I ONCE HAD BEEN. |
| 00:04:39 | THERE WERE ORDERS IN PLACE. |
| 00:04:41 | THERE WERE MANY ORDERS FROM U. |
| 00:04:44 | S. COURTS DEMANDING THE RETURN OF MY CHILD. |
| 00:04:48 | THE COURTS IN BRAZIL ACKNOWLEDGED MY CHILD WAS HELD IN VIOLATION OF U. |
| 00:04:56 | S. AND INTERNATIONAL LAW. |
| 00:04:58 | HOWEVER, HE REMAINED IN THE POSSESSION OF HIS AB DUCT TORE -- ABDUCTORS. |
| 00:05:05 | WHERE WERE SO MANY LAWS IGNORED AND WHY WAS THE GOVERNMENT OF BRAZIL ALLOWED TO VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW WITH NO CONSEQUENCES? |
| 00:05:14 | WHY WERE MY CHILD AND OVER 50 OTHER AMERICAN CHILDREN STILL IN BRAZIL? |
| 00:05:20 | ANOTHER 80 OR MORE IN MEXICO AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER AMERICAN CHILDREN ALSO HELD ILLEGALLY IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION ON THE CIVIL ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION. |
| 00:05:34 | IT WOULD TAKE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, NUMEROUS COURT HEARINGS, EXTRAORDINARY WORK FROM MY ATTORNEYS IN BRAZIL AND THE U. |
| 00:05:43 | S., ONE OF WHOM IS HERE TODAY SITTING BEHIND ME, MS. |
| 00:05:49 | PATRICIA APY, WHO WILL TESTIFY. |
| 00:05:52 | TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF PRESSURE APPLIED AND HOUSE AND SENATE STATE RESOLUTIONS FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO VISIT MY ABDUCTED SON FOR A FEW SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. |
| 00:06:02 | MY SON HAD BEEN ABDUCTED BY MY WIFE AND HER PARENTS AND HELD ILLEGALLY FOR OVER FOUR YEARS. |
| 00:06:10 | IT WASN'T UNTIL THE TRAGIC PASSING OF HIS MOTHER THAT MY SON'S ABDUCTION BECAME NEWSWORTHY. |
| 00:06:17 | THIS FINALLY BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THOSE WHO COULD AND WOULD ACTUALLY ASSIST ME. |
| 00:06:22 | IT TOOK CONGRESSMAN SMITH TRAVELING TO BRAZIL WITH ME. |
| 00:06:26 | IT TOOK SENATOR LAWSUITENBERG HOLDING UP A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN BRAZIL NEARLY $300 MILLION IN TRADE PREFERENCES FOR MY SON TO COME HOME. |
| 00:06:38 | WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE ASSISTANCE WE RECEIVED FROM SUPPORTERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. |
| 00:06:50 | NEVERTHELESS, IT IS EXTREMELY RARE FOR A LEFT BEHIND PARENT TO BE THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS LEVEL OF HELP, YET EVERY OTHER PARENT WHOSE AMERICAN CITIZEN CHILD HAS BEEN ABDUCTED DESERVES THE SAME HELP THAT I RECEIVED. |
| 00:07:07 | THIS COMMITTEE MUST REALIZE THAT IF THE SYSTEM HAD BEEN WORKING PROPERLY, OUR GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE HAD THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO BRING SHAUN AND ALL OF THE OTHER ABDUCTED CHILDREN HOME YEARS EARLIER. |
| 00:07:24 | IT SHOULD NOT HAVE REQUIRED THE EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS OF CONGRESSMAN SMITH AND SENATOR LAUTENBERG. |
| 00:07:32 | HE SHOULDN'T HAVE NEEDED TO THREATEN A TRADE BILL WITH BRAZIL BECAUSE THAT OPTION SHOULD HAVE VIABLE WHEN COUNTRIES VIOLATE THE LAW AND REFUSE TO RETURN ABDUCTED CHILDREN. |
| 00:07:46 | AS OF TODAY, THERE'S MANY BLACK AND WHITE HAGUE CASES AND OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THE LAW IS CLEAR THAT THE CHILDREN MUST BE RETURNED. |
| 00:07:55 | MY CASE WAS THE EXCEPTION BECAUSE THE ABDUCTING PARENT HAD PASSED AWAY, BUT ALMOST ALWAYS THE ABDUCTOR IS STILL ALIVE. |
| 00:08:04 | THESE ABDUCTING PARENTS AND THEIR ATTORNEYS MANIPULATE THE LEGAL SYSTEM TO THEIR ADVANTAGE STALLING LEGAL PROCESSES FOR YEARS WHILE OUR CHILDREN GROW UP APART FROM HALF OF THEIR FAMILIES. |
| 00:08:15 | FOR THESE LEFT BEHIND PARENTS AND FAMILIES, TIME IS THE ENEMY. |
| 00:08:21 | WITH ALL THE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT I RECEIVED OVER FOUR YEARS AND THEN ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF AFTER THE DEATH OF MY SON'S FIRST ABDUCTOR, ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2009, SHAUN AND I WERE FINALLY REUNITED AND RETURNED HOME. |
| 00:08:40 | IT WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE. |
| 00:08:45 | AFTER FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, MY SOP'S ILLEGAL RETENTION AND DOCUMENTED ABUSE, HE IS NOW HOME, AND HE IS FLOURISHING. |
| 00:08:55 | HE WILL BE 11 YEARS OLD TOMORROW, MAY 25, AS CONGRESSMAN PAYNE POINTED OUT, MY SON'S BIRTHDAY IS ON INTERNATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN AWARENESS DAY. |
| 00:09:10 | ALTHOUGH THE REMAINING ABDUCTORS OF MY SON CHALLENGED THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION THAT BROUGHT HIM HOME AND CONTINUE LITIGATION SEEKING MY SOP'S RETURN IN ADDITION TO FILING LAWSUITS IN NORMINGS COURTS, HE IS HOME. |
| 00:09:24 | HE IS HAPPY. |
| 00:09:25 | HE IS LOVED. |
| 00:09:26 | HE IS ALLOWED TO BE A CHILD AGAIN, AND WE ARE FATHER AND SON AGAIN. |
| 00:09:32 | ONE THING MY FATHER SAID WHEN MY SON AND I TIMELY RETURNED HOME WHICH WILL ALWAYS RESINATE WITHIN ME AND HOW PARENTS AND FAMILIES LIVE EVERY DAY, MY DAD SAID, NOT ONLY DID I GET MY GRADSON BACK, I GOT ANY SON BACK. |
| 00:09:52 | OUR FAMILY WILL ALWAYS BE SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERY OUNCE OF SUPPORT FROM WHEREFORE IS CAME. |
| 00:09:59 | IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I AM HERE TODAY TO DO WHATEVER I CAN TO ENSURE THE PLEAS FROM THE REMAINING FAMILIES DESPERATELY FIGHTING TO REUNITE WITH THEIR CHILDREN. |
| 00:10:12 | DO NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS AS MY OWN PLEAS DID FOR SO MANY YEARS. |
| 00:10:18 | OUR FOUNDATION IS ASSISTING A NUMBER OF LEFT BEHIND PARENTS INCLUDING NINE WHOSE CHILDREN ARE ILLEGALLY HELD IN BRAZIL. |
| 00:10:28 | THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABDUCTED BY THOSE OF GREAT POWER LIKE MY CHILD, BUT THE RESULTS ARE THE SAME. |
| 00:10:34 | THE CHIRP REMAIN HELD ILLEGALLY. |
| 00:10:37 | OTHER THAN MY SOP, WE ARE AWARE OF NO OTHER CHILD RETURNED TO THE U. |
| 00:10:41 | S. BY BRAZIL UNDER THE HAGUE CONVENTION. |
| 00:10:43 | IN FACT, SINCE SHAUN'S RETURN, TWO U. |
| 00:10:47 | S. CASES IN BRAZIL RECEIVED RETURN ORDERS BY THE FIRST LEVEL FEDERAL COURTS WHICH IS GOOD NEWS. |
| 00:10:54 | HOWEVER, THE RULINGS WERE APPEALED, THE CHILDREN WERE NOT RETURNED, AND THE LIVES OF THE LEFT BEHIND PARENTS AND CHIRP HANG IN THE BALANCE WHILE EVERY DAY THE ABDUCTORS LIVE WITH IMPUNITY AS THE CASES DRAG ON. |
| 00:11:08 | BRAZIL CONTINUES TO DEFY INTERNATIONAL LAW. |
| 00:11:13 | I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT AMBASSADOR JACOBS RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A TRIP FROM BRAZIL TO DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION WITH HERE SENIOR OFFICIALS. |
| 00:11:25 | SHE REPORTS THE TRIP WAS A SUCCESS AND THAT THE U. |
| 00:11:27 | S. AND BRAZIL HAVE ESTABLISHED A WORKING GROUP WHICH WILL MEET THIS SUMMER TO DISCUSS HOW TO SPEED UP HAGUE APPLICATIONS AND THE ADJUDICATION OF THESE ABDUCTION CASES. |
| 00:11:39 | HOPEFULLY, REAL CHANGE WILL HAPPEN, BUT TO BE CLEAR, THE ONLY WAY PROGRESS CAN BE MEASURED IS BY THE NUMBER OF AMERICAN CHILDREN WHO ARE RETURNED. |
| 00:11:52 | RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE ZERO, ZERO CONSEQUENCES WHEN A NATION VIOLATES THE HAGUE CONVENTION AND REFUSES TO RETURN ABDUCTED CHILDREN TO THE UNITED STATES. |
| 00:12:06 | NATIONS INCLUDING MEXICO, GERMANY, BRAZIL, AND JAPAN WHICH FINALLY APPEARS READY TO RATIFY THE HAGUE CONVENTION DISCOVER QUICKLY THAT UNITED STATES IS ALL TALK AND NO ACTION. |
| 00:12:19 | THESE COUNTRIES PLAY ENDLESS LEGAL AND DIPLOMATIC GAMES WITH LEFT BEHIND PARENTS FRUSTRATING THEIR HOPES AND BREAKING THEIR HEARTS MONTH AFTER MONTH AND YEAR AFTER YEAR THROUGH ENDLESS BUREAUCRATIC MANEUVERINGS. |
| 00:12:33 | THE METHOD AND THE EXCUSES MAY VARY FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY, BUT THE RESULTS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS THE SAME. |
| 00:12:41 | CHILDREN ILLEGALLY ABDUCTED FROM THE UNITED STATES ALMOST NEVER COME HOME. |
| 00:12:45 | THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS BROKEN. |
| 00:12:48 | IN THE LETTER INVITING ME TO SPEAK AT THIS HEARING TODAY, THE CHAIRMAN STATES THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS TO EXPLORE WAYS THE U. |
| 00:12:57 | S. CAN HELP INCREASE RETURN RATES OF CHILDREN ABDUCTED INTERNATIONALLY BY A PARENT. |
| 00:13:04 | FIRST OF ALL, WE CAN ONLY HELP INCREASE RETURN RATES IF WE START WITH A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FULL MAG MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM INCLUDING THE TRUE NUMBER OF AMERICAN CHILDREN WHO WERE ABDUCTED AND CONTINUE TO BE ILLEGALLY RETAPED ABROAD. |
| 00:13:20 | THIS IS A DIFFICULT NUMBER TO FIND, AND IT IS NOT PRESENTED AS PART OF THE ANNUAL HAGUE COMPLIANCE REPORT SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT. |
| 00:13:29 | WE KEEP HEARING THAT THE FIGURES ARE AROUND 2800 AMERICAN CHILDREN. |
| 00:13:35 | HOWEVER, THE LAST THREE ANNUAL HAGUE CON -- COMPLIANCE REPORT SHOWS THE TOTAL NUMBER FOR AMERICAN CHILDREN WAS 4728. |
| 00:13:50 | THESE REPORTS ALSO SHOW ABOUT 1200 CHIRP WERE RETURNED, ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND RETURN DATA FOR 2010. |
| 00:13:59 | THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR AN INCREASE OF 3528 ABDUCTED AMERICAN CHILDREN IN THOSE THREE YEARS ALONE, AND CLEARLY THERE HAS TO BE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN CHILDREN RETAINED ABROAD WHOSE ABDUCTIONS DATE BACK TO THE MOST RECENT THREE YEAR PERIOD. |
| 00:14:21 | HOW ARE RETURNS CATEGORIZED? |
| 00:14:24 | HOW ARE THE CHILDREN RETURNED IF THEY WERE, IN FACT, RETURNED AT ALL. |
| 00:14:28 | DO RETURNS INCLUDE CASES THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT CLOSED FOR VARIOUS REASONS? |
| 00:14:32 | IF SO, WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR CLOSURE? |
| 00:14:36 | THINGS NEED TO CHANGE. |
| 00:14:37 | WE NEED A SYSTEM BY WHICH THESE ABDUCTION CASES ARE REGISTERED AND MONITORED BY EACH PARENT'S ELECTED MEMBER OF CONGRESS. |
| 00:14:47 | WE NEED ELECTED OFFICIALS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON THESE CASES TO BE SURE ALL RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL TOOLS ARE AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE COUNTRIES THAT WE WANT OUR CHILDREN SENT HOME. |
| 00:15:02 | THERE IS NO VALID REASON FOR FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS TO ILLEGALLY HOLD AMERICAN CHILDREN AND SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION. |
| 00:15:13 | THIS STATEMENT, HOWEVER TRUE, DEFIES ALL LOGIC BECAUSE THERE IS NEVER A VALID REASON TO BREAK THE LAW AND SUPPORT KIDNAPPING, BUT AS I TESTIFY BEFORE YOU TODAY, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MANY COUNTRIES TO THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. |
| 00:15:29 | THESE COUNTRIES ARE BREAKING THE LAW WITH IMPUNITY. |
| 00:15:34 | THE FACT IS VERY FEW LEFT BEHIND PARENTS WILL BE AS FORTUNATE AS I WAS IN HAVING PRESIDENT OBAMA, SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON, CONGRESSMAN SMITH, AND SENATOR LAUTENBERG ALL MAKE MY SON, SHAWN'S RUN, A POLICY GOAL OF THE UNITED STATES. |
| 00:15:53 | EVEN THEN, SENATOR LAUTENBERG HAD TO PUT A HOLD ON RENEWAL ON GSP PRIVILEGES INCLUDING BRAZIL TO PUT THE FINAL PRESSURE ON BOTH BRAZIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION WHICH LED TO SHAUN'S RETURN. |
| 00:16:10 | I WISH EVERY LEFT BEHIND PARENT COULD HAVE THAT SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT FEW, AT MOST, AND PROBABLY NONE WILL HAVE THAT LEVERAGE AND POWER BACKING THEM. |
| 00:16:23 | WHAT KIND OF LEVERAGE WILL THESE PARENTS BE ABLE TO WIELD WITHOUT THAT KIND OF PERM HIGH-LEVEL SUPPORT I WAS FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, STATE DEPARTMENT, SENATE, AND HOUSE TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN HOME? |
| 00:16:37 | NOT VERY MUCH. IN FACT, PROBABLY NONE AT ALL. |
| 00:16:40 | THE HAGUE CONVENTION HAS THE FORCE OF LAW, BUT WE ALL KNOW THERE CAN BE NO RULE OF LAW IF THERE IS NO SYSTEM OF JUSTICE TO PUNISH VIOLATERS. |
| 00:16:52 | TODAY, MEXICO, BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, AND A HOST OF OTHER COUNTRIES FACE NO REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR REDUCING -- REFUSING TO ADHERE TO THE HAGUE CONVENTION REQUIREMENTS THAT ABDUCTED CHILDREN BE RETURNED TO THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY WERE ILLEGALLY DOMICILED WITHIN SIX WEEKS. |
| 00:17:11 | AMERICAN TREASURE AND ARMED FORCES SAFEGUARD THE SECURITY OF JAPAN, AND YET JAPAN PAYS NO PRICE FOR REFUSING TO RETURN THE ABDUCTED CHILDREN OF THE AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS AS WELL AS ORDINARY U. |
| 00:17:27 | S. CITIZENS WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED TO JAPAN. |
| 00:17:31 | THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS CONGRESS MUST PASS LEGISLATION THAT ARMS THE STATE DEPARTMENT WITH REAL SANCTIONS TO EXEMPT OTHER NATIONS WHICH REMAIN FLAY GAUNT VIOLATERS. |
| 00:17:48 | I SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION, AND I URGE ALL MEMBERS TO DO SO AS WELL. |
| 00:17:53 | SIMILAR TO OUR ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING LAWS OFFERED BY CHAIRMAN SMITH, HIS BILL TO COMBAT INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION PROVIDES A REAL AND CREDIBLE UP VENN STORY OF -- INVENTORY OF SANCTIONS TO BE USED TO GET OUR KIDS BACK. |
| 00:18:10 | IF YOU ARM OUR NEGOTIATORS WITH SANCTIONS, THEY WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN MORE SERIOUSLY. |
| 00:18:16 | IF THE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES SUCH SANCTIONS AGAINST THE WORST OFFENDERS, OTHER NATIONS WILL GET THE MESSAGE ALSO AND HOPEFULLY START TO RETURN OUR CHILDREN. |
| 00:18:28 | WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT IF ALL WE DO TODAY IS EXPRESS OUTRAGE AND VOW TO DO BETTER AS COMMITTEES LIKE THIS IN BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS HAVE DONE FOR MORE THAN 12 YEARS, BUT FAIL TO ENACT CONGRESSMAN SMITH'S LEGISLATION WITH REAL SANCTIONS, OUR KIDS WILL NOT BE RETURNED, AND WE'LL BE BACK BEFORE ANOTHER COMMITTEE NEXT YEAR WITH MORE LEFT BEHIND FAMILIES, MORE INTERNATIONALLY ABDUCTED CHILDREN, AND NO NEW MECHANISM FOR IMPROVE. |
| 00:19:01 | . IT IS WORTH NOTING THIS IS THE 7TH HEARING ON THIS ISSUE SINCE 1998, AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK THIS COMMITTEE TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS HEARING. |
| 00:19:14 | WHAT, IF ANYTHING, HAS CHANGED IN THOSE 12 YEARS SINCE WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION AND REALIZED THAT THE SYSTEM WAS FAILING THESE PARENTS BACK THEN? |
| 00:19:27 | WHEN YOU READ THE TESTIMONY AS IT IS IF WE ARE STUCK IN A TIME CAPSULE AND THE DATES ON THE HEARING TRANSSCRIPTS DON'T MATTER. |
| 00:19:38 | ALL THE STORIES COULD BE TOLD TODAY BECAUSE THE REASONS FOR THE FAILURES ARE THE SAME. |
| 00:19:42 | THIS IS AS MUCH OF A BIPARTISAN ISSUE AS THERE COULD EVER BE, AND I CONTINUE TO PLEAD ON BEHALF OF ALL THE SUFFERING FAMILIES TORN APART BY CHILD ABDUCTION, FOR OUR GOVERNMENT TO ACT NOW. |
| 00:19:58 | MY SON, SHAUN, AND I, CAN NEVER GET BACK THE TIME LOST BECAUSE OF HIS ABDUCTION, BUT NOW THAT HE'S FINALLY HOME, NOT A DAY IS LOST ON EITHER ONE OF US. |
| 00:20:11 | LET US HELP THE REST OF THE FAMILIES AND BEGIN WITH PROVIDING THE MUCH NEEDED TOOLS THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT SO DESPERATELY NEEDS TO APPLY ACROSS THE BOARD PRESSURE THAT WILL ENSURE ABDUCTED AMERICAN CHIRP COME -- CHILDREN COME HOME. |
| 00:20:29 | I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE WITH A LETTER FROM THE LEFT BEHIND PARENTS OF 117 AMERICAN CHILDREN UNLAWFULLY RETAINED IN 25 COUNTRIES. |
| 00:20:42 | THE LETTER IS ADDRESSED TO SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON AND WAS WRITTEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING A VOICE TO THE THOUSANDS OF PARENTS WHO ARE NOT INVITED TO SPEAK HERE TODAY. |
| 00:20:54 | THEIR PRESENCE IS FELT AND MANY OF THEM ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM TODAY. |
| 00:21:02 | IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO READ THE LETTER? |
| 00:21:05 | AND IF ANY PARENTS OR FAMILIES WOULD LIKE TO STAND WITH ME -- IF THE ROOM WERE BIGGER, THERE'D BE MORE FAMILIES. |
| 00:21:20 | >> MICROPHONE? |
| 00:21:21 | >> IF THIS ROOM WERE BIGGER, YOU COULD BE ASSUREDDED THERE WOULD BE MORE PARENTS AND FAMILIES MAKING IT EVEN HARDER. |
| 00:21:29 | DEAR MADAM SECRETARY, WE THE UNDERSIGNED, APPEAL FOR YOUR HELP AS LEFT BEHIND PARENTS OF 117 AMERICAN CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN ABDUCTED AND REMAIN UNLAWFULLY RETAINED IN 25 COUNTRIES. |
| 00:21:45 | WE ALSO REPRESENT A NUMBER OF U. |
| 00:21:47 | S. SERVICE MEMBERS WHOSE CHILDREN WERE ABDUCTED WHILE SERVING OUR COUNTRY OVERSEAS. |
| 00:21:53 | SOME OF THESE COUNTRIES ARE CIG STORIES TO THE HAGUE CONVENTION WHILE OTHERS ARE NOT SUCH AS JAPAN WHERE WE FACE OVERWHELMING ODDS TRYING TO REUNITE WITH OUR CHILDREN. |
| 00:22:07 | WE ARE DEVASTATED EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY BY THE LOSS OF OUR CHILDREN AND SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE IN ENSURING THAT THE U. |
| 00:22:14 | S. GOVERNMENT IS EXERCISING ALL LAWFUL MEANS NECESSARY TO RETURN THESE AMERICAN CHILDREN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY AND REUNITE THEM WITH US. |
| 00:22:24 | THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF OUR CHILDREN VIOLATES INTERNATIONAL LAW, ETHICAL NORMS, AND HUMAN DECENCY. |
| 00:22:32 | PUT SIMPLY, OUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM US. |
| 00:22:35 | IT IS OUR LEGAL AND OUR MORAL RIGHT TO BE A PART OF THEIR LIVES. |
| 00:22:39 | AS OUR 85 CASES DEMONSTRATE, THERE ARE A GROWING NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WILLFULLY IGNORING OR ABUSING THEIR OBLIGATIONS WITH REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION. |
| 00:22:52 | EACH OF US HAS HAD EXAS PER RATING EXPERIENCES SEEKING JUSTICE IN FOREIGN COURTS WHERE OUR CASES ARE TREATED AS CUSTODY MATTER, RATHER THAN ABDUCTION CASES. |
| 00:23:06 | OVENTIMES, VICTIM PARENTS AND COURT SYSTEMS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHEN IT IS WELL-KNOWN THAT SUCH ACTION WILL LIKELY RESULT IN A DECISION WITH CUSTODY OF OUR ABDUCTED CHILDREN BEING AWARDED TO THE ABDUCTING PARTY. |
| 00:23:24 | COLLECTIVELY, WE HAVE LIMITED OR NO CONTACT WITH OUR CHILDREN, MANY OF WHOM TURNED AGAINST US AS A RESULT OF PARENTAL ALIENATION, A DOCUMENTED FORM OF CHILD ABUSE. |
| 00:23:37 | OUR CHILDREN LOSS HALF OF THEIR IDENTITIES BEING RIPPED FROM HOMES, FAMILIES, AND FRIENDS. |
| 00:23:42 | . LIKE US PARENTS, OUR CHILDREN'S GRANDPARENTS, SIBLINGS, AUNTS, UNCLES, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE HOLES IN THEIR HEARTS LEFT BY THE ABDUCTION OF THEIR LOVED ONES. |
| 00:23:53 | WE WERE ENCOURAGED BY YOUR JULY 2010 APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADOR JACOBS OF SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S ISSUES, HOWEVER, IN WORKING WITH OCI, THERE'S BEEN LITTLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND ALMOST NO POSITIVE RESULTS. |
| 00:24:14 | THE CURRENT SYSTEM HAS FAILED US. |
| 00:24:20 | WHILE OUR CHILDREN REMAIN UNLAWFULLY IN FOREIGN LANDS, THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES IN THE U. |
| 00:24:26 | S. COMETS TO GROW -- CONTINUES TO GROW AT AN ALARMING RATE. |
| 00:24:29 | THERE'S AN URGENT NEED FOR CHANGE NOT ONLY TO PREVENT MORE CHILDREN FROM BEING ABDUCTED ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BORDERS, BUT ALSO TO EFFECT THE SAFE RETURN OF OUR AB DUCTED CHILDREN. |
| 00:24:42 | INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION IS A SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION AND DESPERATE NEED OF YOUR ATTENTION. |
| 00:24:49 | IN OUR EXPERIENCE, ALL TOO AIFN, THESE INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION CASES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE ADDRESSED AGGRESSIVELY BECAUSE THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORT TO MAINTAIN HARMONIOUS BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES OR TO PURSUE OTHER COMPELLING -- [INAUDIBLE] |
| 00:25:11 | THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S MANUAL HIGHLIGHTS THIS POINT BY STRUCKING CASEWORKERS TO REMAIN NEUTRAL WHEN HANDLING THE ABDUCTION CASES. |
| 00:25:22 | THIS INHERENT CONFLICT CANNOT BE IGNORED AND WE NEED TO PLACE A HIGHER PRIORITY ON OUR CHILDREN. |
| 00:25:31 | WE UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY OF MAINTAINING STRONG RELATIONS WITH OTHER NATIONS, BUT THIS SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR CHILDREN. |
| 00:25:37 | OVER THE YEARS, BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS HAVE HELD NUMEROUS HEARINGS ON THE ISSUE OF INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION, YET PRECIOUS LITTLE HAS CHANGED AS OUR ABSENT CHILDREN GROW OLDER. |
| 00:25:53 | ON TUESDAY, ANOTHER GROUP OF PARENTS GATHER IN WASHINGTON, D. |
| 00:25:58 | C. FOR ANOTHER HEARING AS WE ARE TODAY. |
| 00:26:00 | IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE THE YEAR THAT THE CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION UNITE TO PASS NEW LAWS TO STRENGTHEN THE COUNTRY'S CAPACITY TO HELP PARENTS WITH CHILDREN WHO WERE AB DUCTED. |
| 00:26:18 | WE HOPE THE STATE DEPARTMENT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP EMBRACES THE CHANGES TO END THIS GROSS INJUSTICE AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN CHILDREN. |
| 00:26:27 | MADAM SECRETARY, WE APPLAUD YOUR PAST EFFORTS AND RECORD ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS ISSUES, BUT WE ARE DESPERATE AND PLEAD FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. |
| 00:26:37 | IT IS LONG PAST TIME FOR THIS GREAT COUNTRY TO SHOW LEADERSHIP OF THE ISSUE OF INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION. |
| 00:26:47 | WE CANNOT GROW COME PLACE I WANT WITH EACH SUCCESSFUL RETURN OR FORGET THE CHILDREN WHO ARE WRONGFULLY OBTAINED ABROAD. |
| 00:26:56 | WE HAVE STRONG SUPPORT OF GROUPS WHO ADVOCATE FOR VICTIMS OF INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION, HOWEVER, WE NEED OUR GOVERNMENT'S UNWAIVERRING SUPPORT AND DETERMINATION TO BRING OUR CHILDREN HOME. |
| 00:27:11 | MADAM SECRETARY, WE WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU DIRECTLY TO DISCUSS HOW PROGRESS CAN BE MADE. |
| 00:27:18 | PLEASE HELP US REUNITE WITH OUR CHILDREN AND THE FAMILIES AND THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN ARE AT THE END OF THE LETTER. |
| 00:27:30 | >> THANK YOU. |
| 00:27:31 | WITHOUT OBJECTION, ALL THE NAMES WILL BE INCLUDED. |
| 00:27:41 | [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR VERY POWERFUL TESTIMONY FOR SPEAKING AND ARTICULATING THE DEEPLY HELD VIEWS OF VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN THE ROOM AND ALL THOSE WHO COULDN'T BE HERE. |
| 00:27:51 | I WOULD NOTE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES OF HEARINGS. |
| 00:27:54 | WE WILL HEAR FROM OTHER LEFT BEHIND PARENTS IN SUBSEQUENT HEARINGS. |
| 00:28:00 | THERE'S THREE PANELS TODAY BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR SITUATIONS NEEDS TO BE AIRED, NEEDS TO HAVE THE FULL BACKING OF OUR COMMITTEE, WHICH THEY DO, IN ORDER TO HOPEFULLY, GOD WILLING, GET THE RETURN OF THE LEFT BEHIND CHILDREN. |
| 00:28:17 | I WANT TO YIELD TO |
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