FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Hearing on the Implementation of the Goldman Act

Original title: THE GOLDMAN ACT TO RETURN ABDUCTED AMERICAN CHILDREN: ENSURING ADMINISTRATION ACTION

January 1, 2016

international child abduction Goldman Act human rights foreign affairs parental rights State Department oversight

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing evaluates whether the State Department is effectively using legal tools provided by the Goldman Act to help parents recover children abducted to foreign countries, a process that affects 750 to 1,000 American families annually.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Parents of abducted children

These individuals are seeking government assistance to recover children taken to foreign countries.

U.S. Department of State

The agency is responsible for implementing the Goldman Act and reporting on its effectiveness.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This House Subcommittee hearing reviewed the federal government's progress in enforcing the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction and Prevention and Return Act. The hearing focused on how the State Department is using the law's tools to resolve cases where American children are unlawfully taken across international borders by a parent.

Key Facts

The hearing was the fourth oversight session held in 2015 regarding the implementation of the Goldman Act.
Approximately 750 to 1,000 American children are unlawfully removed from the U.S. by a parent to a foreign country each year.
The Goldman Act provides the executive branch with specific legal tools to resolve international parental child abduction cases.
The hearing took place on November 19, 2015, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
Witnesses included representatives from the U.S. Department of State and parents of abducted children.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Goldman Act?

It is a federal law designed to provide the U.S. government with tools to help resolve cases of .

How many children are affected by international parental abduction annually?

According to the hearing, approximately 750 to 1,000 American children are taken across international borders by a parent each year.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Increased Congressional Oversight

The document notes this was the fourth oversight hearing in a single year, indicating a high level of legislative pressure on the State Department regarding this specific law.

Christopher H. Smith U.S. Department of State

Connected Entities

personMichele Thoren Bond“Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State”Map →

personDavid Goldman“Co-founder of Bring Sean Home Foundation; father of a child abducted to Brazil”Map →

personPaul Toland“Captain, USN; co-founder of Bring Abducted Children Home; father of a child abdu”Map →

personChristopher H. Smith“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and ”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance75
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

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