House Proceeding 03-11-09 on Mar 11th, 2009 :: 0:58:10 to 1:01:05
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0:58:06 to 0:58:26( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey reserves his time. the gentleman from california. mr. berman: i'm pleased to -- let me me sure -- as i understand there are no more speakers on the other side, and then i yield the remaining time to the gentleman from california, mr. becerra. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. becerra: i thank the chairman for yielding the time.

0:58:10 to 1:01:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Xavier Becerra

0:58:27 to 0:58:48( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: mr. speaker, i rise in support of this resolution. my mother once said to me shortly after i had seen the birth of my first child, son, there is no tragedy for any parent than is greater than the experience of witnessing your own child's death.

0:58:49 to 0:59:09( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: nothing is more precious than life, and nothing is more profound than the love of a parent for the life of that child brought to this earth. mr. speaker, according to the state department's office of children's issues, there are 306 pending cases of parental

0:59:10 to 0:59:31( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: abductions involving 455 american children taken to countries that areot a party to the hague convention on child abduction. 101 of these abducted american children currently reside in japan. in 2006, in the midst of a custody dispute, melissa

0:59:32 to 0:59:52( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: brayden, the daughter of one of my constituents, patrick brayden, was taken to japan by her mother and has been there ever since. despite a court restraining order of her to remain in the united states, japanese authorities have refused to act on this case. japanese courts give no recognition to the parental

0:59:53 to 1:00:14( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: rightsf the non-japanese parent and the japanese government refuses to enforce u.s. court orders relating to child custody or visitation. after his daughter's abduction, when mr. brayden approached me for help and i tried to see what i could do, you could imagine my disbelief and my

1:00:15 to 1:00:36( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: dismay that we were unable to help secure melissa for mr. brayden or to even have them reunited in japan. i approached the state department, i wrote to president bush in 2007 and asked for their intervention on behalf of mr. brayden. the state department has committed to raising this issue at the highest levels of

1:00:37 to 1:00:57( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: dialogue with japan, and i wish to say here publicly, thank you to chairman berman for his support of this issue and for supporting america's parents and their families. i'd champions of human rights, to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. smith, and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. rush, thank you to them for their efforts and their constant

1:00:58 to 1:01:06( Edit History Discussion )

Xavier Becerra: vigilance on behalf of our children and our families. and i must say, mr. speaker, that my mother was right. there is nothing worse than losing your own child,