No Abducted Child Left Behind: An Update on the Goldman Act

Statement

Chairman Smith on the hearing: "Every year, 600-800 more children are abducted by a parent from the United States. Every year, less than 20% come home. The Goldman Act requires the State Department to disclose the abduction records of countries that fail to return American children. The resulting report recognizes the suffering of American families, puts pressure on recalcitrant countries to cooperate, and prevents future abductions by warning family court judges which countries are unsafe. Accurate reporting is one of our best tools to prevent and resolve international parental child abduction -- and yet the report leaves children behind, especially in Japan. This hearing will focus on ways that the State Department can more effectively use the annual Goldman Act Report to leave no child behind."

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