Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy
(D-Vt., Chief Sponsor Of The Leahy-Stevens Amdt.
On WHTI, Enacted Last Fall)
On The Child Exemption From Passport Rules,
Announced Thursday By The Departments Of State And Homeland Security
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007

“They have followed our congressional directive by developing a sensible plan to protect missing and exploited children at our borders, while recognizing the low security risk of travel by children.

“After months of seeming to ignore Congress on WHTI implementation issues, these agencies have reached consensus on a step that meets the first of seven criteria enacted last year in the Leahy-Stevens Amendment.

“I welcome this and hope it signals closer attention by the Bush Administration to our other reforms to fix the new border-crossing ID system before it goes into effect.”

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