THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY BOBACK, TOOHIL, BAKER, BARRAR, BISHOP, BRADFORD, BRENNAN, R. BROWN, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, CUTLER, DAVIS, DeLUCA, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, ELLIS, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FLECK, FREEMAN, GABLER, GEIST, GEORGE, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRELL, GROVE, HAHN, HARHART, HEFFLEY, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, JOHNSON, KAVULICH, KILLION, KIRKLAND, KNOWLES, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MALONEY, MANN, MARSHALL, MARSICO, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MOUL, MURPHY, MURT, MUSTIO, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PASHINSKI, PAYTON, PICKETT, PYLE, QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, REESE, REICHLEY, ROCK, ROSS, SACCONE, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, STABACK, STEPHENS, SWANGER, TALLMAN, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATSON, WHITE AND YOUNGBLOOD, APRIL 28, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, APRIL 28, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing May 25, 2011, as "National Missing Children's Day"

in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Between 1979 and 1981, a series of high-profile

missing children cases became national headlines; and

WHEREAS, Three such cases contributed to the shock of the

nation's consciousness, bringing attention to the seriousness of

child victimization and forever changing the response by law

enforcement agencies to reports of missing children; and

WHEREAS, The massive search and media attention that followed

the disappearance of Etan Patz in 1979 focused the nation's

attention on the problem of child abduction and lack of plans to

address it; and

WHEREAS, From 1979 through 1981, national media attention was

focused on Atlanta, Georgia, where 29 bodies of young boys and

girls were discovered in lakes, marshes and ponds along roadside

trails; and

WHEREAS, On July 27, 1981, 6-year-old Adam Walsh disappeared

from a Florida shopping mall; and

WHEREAS, The tragedies of these children and others exposed a

fundamental flaw; and

WHEREAS, There was no coordinated effort among Federal, state

and local law enforcement, no national response system in place

and no central resource to help searching families; and

WHEREAS, The momentum that began with the disappearance of

Etan, Adam and the 29 missing and murdered children of Atlanta,

Georgia, led to photographs of missing children on milk cartons

and, ultimately, a nationwide movement; and

WHEREAS, In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25

as "National Missing Children's Day"; and

WHEREAS, "National Missing Children's Day" is a reminder to

all parents and guardians of the need for high-quality

photographs of their children for use in case of an emergency

and for the need for everyone to pay close attention to the

posters and photographs of missing children; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize May 25,

2011, as "National Missing Children's Day" in Pennsylvania.