Missing and Exploited Children

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have been well known for my efforts on issues of child safety. Just months into my first term in office in 1997, a family in my district suffered a terrible tragedy. A 12-year-old girl from Friendswood was abducted and found murdered two weeks later.  I was so moved by the family's courage and the caring response of the community in banding together to search for the child, that I established the first-ever bipartisan Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, which now numbers more than 130 members, with near equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats. In addition, I have been recognized by John Walsh, host of America’s Most Wanted and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for my work to protect kids.

I have created this site where you can access information and statements about missing and exploited children, and general information about my efforts to combat child abduction and exploitation.

Community involvement is the key toward making our kids safe, happy, and healthy. As a father of two daughters and a grandfather of four, stories about abduction and exploitation send a chill up my spine. If you are a parent, I know you have the same feelings of fear. We all need to work together to do everything we can to save a child's life or save a family from heart-breaking tragedy.

General Information

Nick Lampson's Efforts to Combat Child Abduction and Exploitation

While I'm working to advance child safety legislation in Washington, my fellow Caucus members and I are also initiating community, state, and national efforts to combat the growth of child abduction and exploitation throughout the country.

Over the past ten years, I have brought representatives from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to my district to host Child Safety Workshops. These workshops educate professionals who deal with children on abuse and abduction. Fortunately, a number of law enforcement officers from the area attended these workshops.

In addition, a number of police chiefs from my district have come to Washington to attend the Jimmy Ryce Law Enforcement Training Program. This Department of Justice Program offers law enforcement officers a basic 3-day course with tips on investigating both family and non-family abductions and runaways. Law enforcement executive officers can also receive training on how to set up a quick response plan in the event a child is reported missing.

Once I found out that printing missing children's pictures on congressional envelopes was permissible, I made sure that no envelope left my office without a picture of a missing child. Studies show that one out of seven children is recovered because someone recognizes his or her picture. I will continue urging my colleagues in Congress to print pictures of missing children on their official stationery.

I have also asked several businesses and community organizations in Southeast Texas to create safe havens for kids in trouble. The Project Safe Place program links the business community, youth shelters, youth service agencies, and dedicated volunteers together to provide young people-in-crisis a safe route to professional resources and a way to stay off dangerous streets.

Project Safe Place provides immediate help for young people when and where they need it most - in their own neighborhoods. The program creates a network of businesses and public buildings that display a bright yellow and black Safe Place sign for any child in need of help.

Non-business organizations are also getting involved. For example, fire stations are some of the most popular Safe Place sites throughout the country. Hospitals, libraries, emergency centers, and other community agencies also have volunteered to be safe places for kids. In fact, some communities use their mass transit systems, or other utility and service vehicles as the first point of contact with young people who are scared, confused, or even lost. But more needs to be done! If you are interested in becoming involved in the Safe Place program, please call my district office.