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“STATE DEPARTMENT NOT HELPING RETRIEVE KIDNAPPED AMERICAN CHILDREN” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4876 on July 18, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
STATE DEPARTMENT NOT HELPING RETRIEVE KIDNAPPED AMERICAN CHILDREN
(Mr. LAMPSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue my talks about Ludwig Koons, the 9-year-old little United States citizen who is being held in the country of Italy.
Last week I met with Ambassador Salleo of Italy, and I want to thank the Ambassador from Italy, for he is trying to help this American citizen come back home to the United States where he belongs.
This is more than I can say for our own State Department. Two weeks ago the Washington Post ran a story on the removal of Mary Ryan from her position at the State Department. Ms. Ryan at one time was in charge of the office that handles international abduction of children. I am asking the State Department to look into the handling of that office over the past years, just as they are doing other offices that Ms. Ryan was in charge of.
Jeff and Ludwig Koons, just like thousands of other parents, are not getting concrete help from our State Department. If the State Department does not do something about it, then Congress must. Please help us bring our children home.
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