July 02,2007

Press Contact:

Press_Office@finance-rep.senate.gov

Grassley seeks State Department assistance to deter child sex tourism

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Grassley today urged the Secretary of State to use the authority of the State Department against foreign travel by registered sex offenders for the purpose of committing additional sex crimes against children or others and for gathering more information from other countries about predators who come into the United States from abroad.

In a letter sent today, Grassley stressed the importance of information sharing and transparency between nations in order to prevent further access and entry of abusive criminals. He specifically suggested that the State Department consider requiring registered sex offenders to identify themselves on their passport applications and to further identify them as such on any passport issued to them. He also said that the U.S. and foreign customs systems could be used to disclose whether an individual entering a country has a history of sexually abusing children.

The text of Grassley’s letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is attached in the Printer-Friendly Version.

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