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Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Nationwide Alert System

On September 5, the day after a subcommittee hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved, by voice vote, a bill (S. 2896) that would make the AMBER alert system a nationwide network. In addition, the bill would establish a national coordinator at the Department of Justice. This coordinator would be responsible for developing the local and state systems and issuing regional alerts.

Currently, the AMBER alert system is active in 16 states and 32 local and regional jurisdictions.

Senate Subcommittee Considers AMBER Alert System

On September 4, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information held a hearing to discuss a national AMBER alert system.

Judiciary Committee’s Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) noted that “when it comes to child abductions, time is of the essence.” He added, “We are all too aware that child abductors prey on the youngest, most innocent and vulnerable members of our society—often for the purpose of committing other serious violent crimes against them.”

Joe Farrow of the California Highway Patrol explained that the AMBER alert system was implemented in 1996, after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted and murdered in Arlington, Tex. He added that after her murder, the State of Texas developed a regional plan, “which encouraged law enforcement agencies to alert media outlets following any confirmed child abduction.”

Marc Klaas, whose daughter Polly was killed after being abducted, noted that the alert system is “only now gaining the recognition that it deserves.” Edward Fritts of the National Association of Broadcasters, added that in 2001, an “Amber kit” was distributed to law enforcement units and broadcast stations nationwide in order to expand the plan’s reach.

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