A bill to make the program for national criminal history background checks for volunteer groups permanent.

Mr. President, I rise today to commend my colleagues for passing by unanimous consent two bills which I sponsored--a bill to extend the pilot program for national criminal history background checks for volunteers who work with children, and the Prevention of Child Abduction Partnership Act.

The first bill extends the pilot program created by the PROTECT Act. The pilot program allows the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, NCMEC, in coorperation with the FBI, to provide a background check process for volunteers working for organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, National Mentoring Partnership, and the National Council of Youth Sports. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides its expertise to assist volunteer organizations in evaluating the criminal records of volunteers to determine if the volunteers are fit to interact and provide care for children.

So far, the NCMEC has processed over 2,500 checks. Through these checks the Center has been able to prevent criminals, including child molesters, from applying and securing volunteer positions with youth organizations. Of those applicants whose files showed an offense, over 50 percent of the applicants lied and indicated they did not have a criminal record. Some of the startling examples of people who were found unfit to work with children included: (1) one convicted of manslaughter, (2) one found guilty on charges of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault as well as domestic battery, (3) one convicted of three charges of endangering the welfare of a child, (4) one convicted of lewdness and was charged for kidnapping, (5) one charged with sexual contact with a child under the age of 16, (6) one charged with 31 counts, including multiple rapes and assaults, indecent liberties, eluding, and prostitution, (7) one charged with aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, and (8) one charged with oral copulation by force, rape by force, and oral copulation by force, in one instance the victim under 14 and in another, 10 years younger. My bill would allow this invaluable program to continue to prevent convicted criminals such as these from working with children.

The Prevention of Child Abduction Partnership Act grants private entities, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, immunity from tort liability when they are assisting the U.S. State Department in carrying out its functions under the International Child Abduction Remedies Act.

I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 2882 and S. 2883, en bloc.

I ask unanimous consent the bills be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table and any statements regarding this matter be printed in the Record.