WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken announced that the Senate resolution they introduced honoring the life of Jacob Wetterling and the advocacy of the Wetterling family on behalf of missing and exploited children has passed the Senate.

“Patty Wetterling is a woman of unbelievable courage, who for years has turned her grief into action,” said Klobuchar. “Through her family’s advocacy on behalf of missing and exploited children, many lives have been saved in Jacob’s memory. This resolution that the Senate passed honors Jacob while also recognizing the Wetterling family’s strength, courage, and grace.”

“For over 27 years, Minnesotans left the porch lights on for Jacob Wetterling to come home,” said Franken. “We saw his family work tirelessly not only to find Jacob, but to make sure that other families wouldn’t have to face the same heartbreak and pain that they did. This resolution both honors Jacob and recognizes the inspirational strength of Patty, Jerry, and the entire Wetterling family, who continue to be amazing advocates on behalf of all children. We will never forget Jacob Wetterling.”                                                                                            

The full text of the resolution is below:

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s parents faced the unimaginable tragedy of having their 11-year-old son, Jacob Wetterling, abducted near their home in Stearns County, Minnesota, on October 22, 1989;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling was taken at gunpoint and his disappearance remained unsolved for nearly 27 years;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s body was not recovered until September of 2016;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s mother bravely turned her grief into action and devoted her life to advocating for missing and exploited children;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s mother has become a nationally recognized educator on child abduction and the sexual exploitation of children;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s mother serves on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s parents co-founded the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center to educate communities about child safety issues to prevent child exploitation and abductions;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s mother authored the publication “When Your Child is Missing: A Family Survival Guide”, along with 4 other families;

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s mother served for more than 7 years as Director of Sexual Violence Prevention for the Minnesota Department of Health;

Whereas the Star Tribune selected Jacob Wetterling’s mother as one of the “100 Most Influential Minnesotans of the Century”;

Whereas the efforts of Jacob Wetterling’s mother led to the passage of the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act (Public Law 103–322; 108 Stat. 2038), a Federal law that requires States to implement a sex offender and crimes against children registry; and

Whereas Jacob Wetterling’s memory lives on through the efforts of the Wetterling family: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) honors the life of Jacob Wetterling; and

(2) recognizes the efforts of Jacob Wetterling’s family to prevent child exploitation and abductions across the United States.

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