A resolution to increase awareness of and support efforts to counter international parental child abduction, recognizing its emotional harm and urging continued U.S. leadership in addressing the issue.
Thom Tillis
Senator
NC
This resolution supports "Countering International Parental Child Abduction Month" and aims to raise awareness of the emotional harm caused by international parental child abduction to children and parents. It recognizes past efforts, such as the Hague Convention and the work of organizations and government programs, to combat this issue. The resolution encourages continued U.S. leadership in educating the public about the negative impacts of international parental child abduction.
Senate Resolution Backs 'Countering International Parental Child Abduction Month' for April 2025, Urges Awareness
This Senate resolution officially throws its support behind designating April 1-30, 2025, as "Countering International Parental Child Abduction Month." It's not creating new laws, but rather serves as a formal statement acknowledging the serious harm caused when a parent wrongfully removes or retains a child outside their country of habitual residence, urging continued focus on the issue.
Putting Numbers to the Heartbreak
The resolution brings some stark numbers into focus to underscore the problem's scale. It notes that between 2010 and 2020, nearly 10,000 children (9,816) were reported abducted from the U.S. internationally. Just in 2023, these cases involved U.S. citizen kids spread across 105 different countries. This isn't just a bureaucratic issue; the resolution explicitly recognizes the deep emotional trauma inflicted on both the abducted child and the parent left behind.
Spotlighting Existing Efforts and Future Focus
Beyond raising awareness, the text acknowledges the framework already in place, like the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international agreement the U.S. is part of, designed to secure the prompt return of abducted children. It also gives a nod to organizations like the Coalition to End International Parental Child Abduction.
Furthermore, it highlights ongoing government work: in 2023, the State Department handled over 4,600 inquiries related to these cases and enrolled over 3,700 kids in the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program (which monitors passport applications for enrolled minors). That same year saw 205 children returned to the U.S. and 119 cases resolved without return. The Department of Homeland Security's Prevent Abduction Program also enrolled 341 children in 2023. The resolution essentially urges the U.S. to keep leading the charge in educating the public and tackling this complex international issue head-on.