Number: RL34050
Title: Missing and Exploited Children: Background, Policies, and Issues
Authors: Adrienne L. Fernandes, Domestic Social Policy Division 
Abstract: The MEC program was last reauthorized by the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-96) through FY2008. In addition to funding NCMEC, the program currently supports the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force program to assist state and local law enforcement cyber units investigate online child sexual exploitation; technical assistance for the AMBER Alert System, which coordinates state efforts to broadcast bulletins in the most serious child abduction cases; and training, through NCMEC's Jimmy Ryce Law Enforcement Training Center, for law enforcement and prosecutors. For FY2008, Congress appropriated $50.0 million for the MEC program. On May 24, 2007, Representative Lampson introduced Protecting Our Children Comes First Act of 2007 (H.R. 2517) to reauthorize the MEC program. The bill passed the House on December 5, 2007. Senator Leahy introduced similar legislation (S. 1829) on July 19, 2007, but the Senate ultimately took up and passed H.R. 2517 on May 20, 2008. On June 3, 2008, the President signed H.R. 2517 into law as P.L. 110-240. Issues that were relevant to reauthorization efforts, and continue to be pertinent, include the collection of data on missing and exploited children, among other issues.
Pages: 68
Date: August 1, 2008