Governors Davis and Warner Send Letter to Congress Urging Passage of National Amber Alert

GOVERNORS DAVIS AND WARNER SEND LETTER TO CONGRESS URGING PASSAGE OF NATIONAL AMBER ALERT
Governors From Coast to Coast Urge Congress to Put Politics Aside and Pass Legislation

Governors Gray Davis (D-Calif.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) today sent a letter to Congressmen James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) and Don Young (R-Alaska) urging passage of a National Amber Alert system. The legislation has been held up in the House Judiciary Committee, where unrelated amendments have been attached to the legislation.

"When a child is abducted, we don't have a moment to waste to bring kids home safely. Cooperation saves time, and we know minutes can save lives. That is why, on behalf of families across the country, we ask you to consider the National AMBER Alert Act of 2003 (HR 412) unfettered by additional proposals.

Months ago, thanks to the bipartisan leadership of Senators U.S. Senators Feinstein and Hutchison, the companion bill to HR 412 passed the Senate unanimously. By supplying educational and training monies, and grants for highway message signs, this bill provides needed federal assistance to help states improve coordination in their efforts to find abducted children. Now it is time for the House to do its part by passing a clean Amber Bill.

States are trying to respond to abductions quickly, but sometimes these criminals flee with our kids across state lines, which is why we need a seamless national system.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We are ready to assist in anyway we can."