Washington, D.C.– The House Committee on Ways and Means voted to pass the Recovering Missing Children Act, legislation introduced by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03), to provide a critical tool to law enforcement in the search for abducted children. The bill, H.R. 3209, would allow law enforcement to access tax information, with a warrant, in cases of missing and abducted children. Under current law, investigators can access tax returns in certain situations – when a federal crime has been committed, an act of terror has occurred, or while tracking down a fugitive – but not in missing children cases.

According to a government study, there are 200,000 children abducted by family members every year. A government report found that in 46% of missing children cases, using the child’s social security number to search the IRS database revealed a tax return filed under a new address – potentially a case-breaking discovery.

Paulsen authored a commentary on the legislation that was published in yesterday’s Star Tribune. The piece is available here.

“While this type of critical tax information can be used for federal crimes, terrorist attacks, and tracking down fugitives, current law doesn’t allow investigators to access federal tax records to help find an abducted child,” said Paulsen. “The bipartisan Recovering Missing Children Act fixes this by including missing children cases as an acceptable instance when law enforcement, with a warrant, can work with the IRS to secure tax information crucial to solving a crime. This is a commonsense fix that could save lives.”

Click here for videoof Paulsen’s remarks at the committee markup.

The bill received bipartisan support from members of the Ways and Means Committee. Video of the entire markup is available here.

“I thank my friend, the gentleman from Minnesota, Mr. Paulsen, for introducing this very important piece of legislation, well thought out, as he has,” said Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ-09). “As a father and as a grandfather, I can’t even begin to imagine what parents go through in the event that their child goes missing. I certainly can’t imagine hearing that law enforcement is handicapped in its ability to do everything possible to help bring that child back.”

“I just wanted to commend (Congressman Paulsen) for a very commonsense but very necessary piece of legislation that will go a long way to help people out,” said Congressman John Larson (CT-01).

Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-08), a former sheriff that investigated numerous missing children cases, spoke emotionally about the inability to access critical information in cases of abducted children.

“Mr. Paulsen is right, resources across this country are scarce. This is a tool that is absolutely needed and necessary,” said Reichert. “And again, it will be much appreciated not only by law enforcement, but by every family that is suffering with the disappearance, loss, kidnapping, or exploitation of a child.”

The Recovering Missing Children Act is supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children along with law enforcement organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, the National Association of Police Officers, and the Major County Sheriffs Association.

Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus.

For more information on Congressman Paulsen’s work in Congress visit Paulsen.house.gov.

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