To reauthorize permanently the use of penalty and franked mail in efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of order.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand tonight and thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for passing H.R. 4416, a bill I introduced to help missing children be reunited with their families. Let me first begin by thanking Chairman Tom Davis and Ranking Member Waxman for reporting this measure out of the House Committee on Government Reform. I would also like to thank Chairman Ehlers for the role that he and the Committee on House Administration have played in moving this legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, my bill will permanently authorize the use of official franked and penalty mail to assist in the location of missing and exploited children. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita opened many eyes to the undeniable reality that faces so many of America's most vulnerable. In the aftermath of those disasters, TV screens across the country aired photographs and other information about missing children throughout the gulf region. Fortunately, in the days and months since, the children missing as a result of these hurricanes have been reunited with their families, and that is very good news.

However, one thing remains clear. This Congress should take every reasonable step available to help families, not only those from the gulf coast but all across America be reunited with their loved ones that have been missing. My bill represents one step in that effort.

I have reviewed this matter at great length in the course of my work as ranking member of the Committee on House Administration and as a member of the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. In my judgment, the congressional frank presents an ideal opportunity to distribute information about missing and exploited children in addition to being an effective way for Members to communicate with their constituents about our important work.

Beginning in 1985 and for a period of 3 years, section 3220 of title 39 of the U.S. Code authorized the use of Federal penalty mail to assist in U.S. Department of Justice efforts to locate and recover missing children. Congress subsequently reauthorized this law three times for various lengths of time, but the last reauthorization expired 4 years ago, and unfortunately it has not been renewed or extended.

This program, which is entirely voluntary, has been a joint effort between the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. By permanently authorizing this legislation, we are providing Federal agencies and the United States Congress with the opportunity to help in the recovery of missing and exploited children throughout this country.

Under the provisions of my bill, biographical data and pictures of children featured in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's photo distribution program can be included in various categories of official Federal Government mail.

According to the center, one in six of these featured children is recovered as a direct result of someone in the general public recognizing the child in the picture and notifying authorities. The U.S. Postal Service reports that in fiscal year 2005, U.S. Government agencies mailed over 1.3 billion pieces of penalty mail. If only 50 percent of this mail had included a picture and biographical sketch of one of the more

than 797,000 children currently reported as missing, there would have been over 708 million chances of a missing child being identified and reunited with his or her family.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to include in the Record a letter that I received from the president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Mr. Ernie Allen, urging reauthorization of this program and emphasizing its value and importance.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important piece of legislation that Congress has supported for almost 20 years. I am grateful that this body will continue that support by the passing of my bill on Monday so that we can do our part to help bring these children home safely.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children,

Alexandria, VA, March 24, 2006.

Hon. Juanita Millender-McDonald,

Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Millender-McDonald: On behalf of the

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (``NCMEC''),

I am writing to commend you for introducing H.R. 4416, a bill

to reauthorize the use of official and franked mail to assist

in the location and recovery of missing children.

NCMEC can attest to the fact that distributing photos of

missing children is extremely successful. We began our photo

distribution program in 1984 and now have 345 public and

private partners. We are pleased to report that one out of

every six missing children in our program has been recovered

as a direct result of the photo being recognized by a member

of the public. We are grateful to the members of Congress and

executive branch offices that have chosen to join us in our

efforts over the years.

Thank you for your initiative in continuing this program

that has proven to be a valuable tool in the search for

missing children.

Sincerely,

Ernie Allen,

President.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4416) to reauthorize permanently the use of penalty and franked mail in efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4416, a bill which permanently reauthorizes the use of penalty and franked mail in efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing children. This bill was passed by the Government Reform Committee by a voice vote on June 8.

I would like to thank my colleague from California, Juanita Millender-McDonald, for sponsoring this very important bill.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, every day more than 2,100 children are reported missing somewhere in the United States. We are all familiar with the missing child notices that appear in the media, on government office bulletin boards, on advertising mail and, of course, on milk cartons. These notices provide immeasurable help in bringing missing children home. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one out of every six children featured on these notices are recovered.

This bill will allow Members of Congress and Federal agencies to continue to assist in the recovery of missing children by authorizing them to include missing child notices on their official and franked mail envelopes. The wider these notices are disseminated, the greater the chances that someone will recognize a missing child and contact the proper authorities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter from Congressman Vernon Ehlers, chairman of the Committee on House Administration, regarding the bill before us that is under consideration.

House of Representatives, Committee on House

Administration, Longworth House Office Building,

Washington, DC, June 14, 2006.

Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Speaker: I write concerning H.R. 4416, a bill to

permanently reauthorize the use of penalty and franked mail

in efforts relating to the location and recovery of missing

children. H.R. 4416 was ordered reported by the Committee on

Government Reform on June 8, 2006.

As you know, the Committee on House Administration received

a joint referral on the bill because of the Committee's

jurisdiction over matters concerning Congressional franking

privileges. However, in order to expedite this legislation

for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action on

this bill. This is being done with the understanding that it

does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to

the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional

prerogatives on this or similar legislation.

Sincerely,

Vernon Ehlers,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time; and I hope that our colleagues support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 4416, legislation sponsored by Representative Millender-McDonald, which would permanently reauthorize the use of franking and penalty mail by Congress and Federal agencies and departments. This measure, which was unanimously reported from the Government Reform Committee on June 8,

would allow Members to assist in efforts to locate and to recover missing children.

First enacted in 1985, this program authorized the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of Justice to prescribe guidelines under which the government and franked mail may be used to help find and recover missing children. The law also authorized the Senate Committee on Rules and the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards to establish guidelines for the use of franked mail in the House and Senate.

Although the law was reauthorized three times, the underlying statutory authority expired in 2002. H.R. 4416 would permanently reauthorize this very important effort. The placement of photos of missing children on government and congressional mail will greatly assist in locating and recovering children.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Ranking Member Millender- McDonald, for sponsoring this bill; and I urge my colleagues to include photos of missing children on their official and franked mail.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4416, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.