i just got to reading the paper now and there was a caption (no article with it) that got my attention. it read as follows:
bush signs anti-abduction law
former missing child elizabeth smart, centre, and her mother, lois, left, greet donna norris, the mother of the murdered child amber hagerman, at a ceremony in the rose garden at the white house, yesterday. u.s. president george w. bush signed the protect act of 2003, also known as the amber alert legislation, during the ceremony. it is meant to help rescue children who have been abducted.


can someone explain what it is? i would do a search on it but i don't have the time since i have to make dinner. anyway, is it for something useful, or is it completely redundant and just another showy ceremony for the president to host at the white house?

Thanks in advance

___________________

Well except for the fact that the rave act was added, I think it's a useful law. I'm not familliar with all aspects of it, but I think it will provide funding for more states to be able to fund "amber alerts." When a child is abducted an "amber alert" goes out on newstations etc. THere are electronic billboards that are along the highways that display details of the kiddnapping including but not limited to, car make/model, license plate #, suspect description etc. This is a new system in Texas, and it has already recovered an abducted child alive. Also in California a crazy drunken/druggie guy kiddnapped 2 young women (16,17 I think), and raped them. After an Amber alert bulletin was issued, the suspect vehicle was found and the girls rescued. It has nothing to do with drugs or drug enforcement. Sen. Dickhead Biden used a congressional trick to add it to the Amber alert bill. Who is going to vote against a law aimed at saving children???

The amber alert has been in place in california for a couple of years. Essentially what happens is that when a child is reported missing, a description of the child along with any possible information on who may have kidnapped the child is distributed and but on signs on freeways along with a number you can call to report people you see who may fit the description. In the last few years, it has helped locate a lot of people, so I'm glad it was passed.

thanks for the clarification guys

___________________