PLEASE READ!! Here Is Your Chance To Really Do Something. Billy's Law

Tricia

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Websleuths Member misheley26 has put a lot of her time and effort into getting this bill out on the web for people to read and act on. Please take the time to read it and do your part. By you taking 60 seconds of your time you could change the law to help find the missing.

Thank you to misheley26 for bringing this to our attention. We are proud to have you as a member.


Websleuths Members & Guests, Please Help! Less Than 1 Minute Of Your Time Can Make All The Difference for the Missing and their Families!

H.R. 3695, also known as The Help Find The Missing Act (Billy's Law)
is now before the US House of Representatives. It will help close the gaps in the uniform reporting of missing persons, no matter who they are, in order to expedite investigations and identifications if passed. Click here to view this very important bill.

Having received Tricia's approval, I'm asking that you submit your name, email and mailing address right now, while the bill is before the house, by clicking here. When you do, a letter will be sent to your Federal Congressman asking that he/she support the bill. You don't even have to sign up for an account to just enter these 4 things. 5,000 people are needed so please copy/paste content about this bill into an email to everyone you know.

H.R. 3695 is endorsed by: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Doe Missing Persons Network, Families of Homicide Victims and Missing Persons, Inc., National Center for Forensic Science, Forensic Science Technology Center, National Order of Police, National Associations of Police Organizations (NAPO) click here to see their letter, Peace4TheMissing, Please Help Find The Missing Group, Project EDAN, Connecticut Department of Public Safety, Fraternal Order of Police, National Associations of Police Organizations (NAPO), Connecticut Department of Public Safety, Center for Hope, CUECENTER, LostNMissing Inc., Sponsored by Representatives Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Ted Poe (R-TX) and Cosponsored by Walt Minnick (ID-I), Ed Whitfield (R-KY)

An Overview of H.R. 3695 The Help Find The Missing Act (Billy's Law)
Every year tens of thousands of Americans go missing, never to be seen by their loved ones again. Additionally, there are also an estimated 40,000 sets of unidentified human remains that are being held or disposed of across the country. Sadly, because of gaps in the nation's missing persons systems, missing persons and unidentified remains are rarely matched. The Help Find the Missing Act (Billy's Law) is an effort to fix these gaps. We want to help families to have the resources so that we can lessen the burden on the system as well as bringing loved ones home for a proper burial.

This legislation is named after Billy Smolinski of Waterbury, Connecticut who went missing on August 24, 2004 at the age of 31. Billy's family knows all-too-well the systemic challenges in trying to find the missing. They quickly learned that while federal law mandates law enforcement report missing children, there are no such requirements for adults - or unidentified bodies. Compounding this problem is the fact that local law enforcement agencies, medical examiners, and coroners, often don't have the resources or training to voluntarily report these cases. Finally, even when missing adults and remains are reported, the wide-range of unconnected federal, state, local, and non-profit databases to help match the missing with unidentified bodies, makes finding a match an often insurmountable challenge.

Billy’s Law builds upon recent efforts to address these issues by:
  • Authorizing, and therefore helping to ensure funding for, the National Missing Persons and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), which was created in July 2007 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide a missing persons/unidentified database that the public could access and contribute;
  • Connecting NamUs with the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in order to create more comprehensive missing persons and unidentified remains databases and streamlining the reporting process for local law enforcement;
  • Creating an incentive grants program to help states, local law enforcement and medical examiners/coroners report missing persons and unidentified remains to NCIC, NamUs, and the National DNA Index System (NDIS);
  • Calling on the DOJ to issue guidelines and best practices on handling missing persons and unidentified remains cases in order to empower law enforcement, medical examiners and coroners to help find the missing.
Below is part of an email that I received from a wonderful woman and now, a good friend...Jan, Billy's mother. She's refering to the number of people who've completed their information.
"...notice there are more new endorsements. There are MORE! YIPEEEE!"

She sent the email when only 64 had entered their information and there it remains at last check. Her excitement is beautiful...it is excitment that maybe these
improvements will help families in the future; families that share something in common...a loss no one should ever have to know.

But we need many more (a minimum of 5000) so please help make the difference by telling your congressman that you want them to support this bill and copy/paste the content about this bill into an email and sent to everyone you know.

Thank you.

If you have any difficulty in getting redirected to any of the below by clicking on the underlined (and hyperlinked) text above, you can copy/paste the following into your browser address bar...
View H.R. 3695 The Help Find the Missing Act (Billy's Law) at http://tinyurl.com/BillHR3695
Enter your information to support the bill at http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/support_for_hr_3695_the_help_find_the_missing_act_billys_lawView
View the National Association of Police Organization's (NAPO) Endorsement Letter at http://tinyurl.com/NAPO-HR3695


 
I am having trouble with the website, anyone else?
 
I had no problems with the website. I signed it number 344. i hope they get the 5000 needed.

Thx Tricia for bringing it on here.
 
Tried sending you a pm or message but you don't receive either. I'm not sure what the problem is but I can try to help - You can email me at misheley26@cox.net It took me about 40 secs. And...thanks for signing girls. Hopefully people will put some urgency to this and we'll see the improvements that are desperately needed.


I am having trouble with the website, anyone else?
 
I am new here and this is my first post, sorry in advance if these questions have already been answered. Can multiple people in the same household sign this? Also, is it okay to post a link on my Facebook page?
 
I am new here and this is my first post, sorry in advance if these questions have already been answered. Can multiple people in the same household sign this? Also, is it okay to post a link on my Facebook page?

On the second page, you push "Thanks" and it takes you to an option of linking it to your Facebook account.
 
Thank you misheley26 and Tricia for bringing this to our attention, just submitted.
 
I signed the petition. Thanks for posting and misheley26 for your hard work...my fingers are crossed for this bill to pass!!!

Tricia you are a knockout! In your photo you look like you have lost a lot of weight.
 
To all who've signed, Thank You! Tricia, you do have it goin on in your office pic! And, I cannot thank you enough for the support you've put behind this. I have always felt so grateful to have found WS...a group of compassionate people.

To All About Facebook - if you want to be friends, look for me (Michelle Carter, CT). Jan posts on my wall...things that should really sink in for people but sadly #'s are low. She's listed under Janice Smolinski if you'd like to send her a note or befriend her.

About Myspace - you can embed the 'take action' box into your page (see my myspace page left side. You'll find me by searching for Michelle Carter, 38, CT)

Jory, happy posting! Your cat and dog can sign if they type! We are very far off from that 5000 target so encourage everyone and anyone to sign.

All, garnering support has been a very enlightening experience - one that is extremely sad because I've realized people ignore what doesn't directly effect them. No one ever thinks it will happen to them - I just cannot take that risk. If anyone needs help with linking/embedding into myspace...anything to promote this, please just pm me.

I am new here and this is my first post, sorry in advance if these questions have already been answered. Can multiple people in the same household sign this? Also, is it okay to post a link on my Facebook page?
 
Thank you misheley26 for the hard work getting this done. I've signed this very important petition and plan on forwarding it to all my local friends to do the same.
 
This is really important, I hope everyone signs it, and gets the word out to others.
 
Done.

I think we need a banner up that says this is for help in finding the missing or something. We haven't gotten many signatures in the last couple of days?

Salem
 
Added my signature. Thanks for posting this. I was not aware of that website. It has some really good info.
 
As Tricia stated in her email regarding the support Marc had initially received from Websleuths for Trucker TV, I'd also hoped for tremendous support through our voice. I thank those that have and wanted to let you know that Billy's mother, Jan Smolinski has been invited and will be testifying as to the urgency of this legislation in front of congress in DC on 12/15. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the site continues to receive signatures - to date, it's quite a sad state of affairs that are reflecting in those extremely low numbers.

We need to be accountable to our nation's people - we need to reinforce this is a silent epidemic that no one is immune to.

Thanks again for your support. I sent a bang up letter to Marc for the trucker TV initiative! Michelle
 
Could you imagine if you were in this position?

From Jan Smolinski, Billy's mom:

Never in my wildest dreams thinking back before Billy went missing, would I think that I would one day stand in a Police Department and be finger printed (by the way the officer printed each finger twice in black ink) while being read my rights, then off to the camera for a mug shot. Out of body experience? You better believe it. Hardened criminal (criminal tresspass 1st degree) for hanging a flyer of my missing son? I confess. Hurt and betrayed by the authorities? YES
What would Billy say?
WAY TO GO MOM!!
I CARRIED HIM NINE MONTHS, RAISED HIM, WIPED HIS TEARS WHEN HE HAD BUMPS AND BRUISES. KEPT HIM FROM HARM. NO DOUBT --HE IS COMING HOME TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. NO REST TILL IT HAPPENS. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE!


As I write this, 641 people (# is comprised of US citizens & a handful of international) have signed the petition page at the link in the 1st post.

This thread has been viewed 650 times so let's say all of those views are unique, not duplicates of a member visiting more than once (I won't even subtract out my close to 10 visits - we'll keep it at 650)...this would mean that all 641 signers are WS members. While I'd love to believe that, a greal deal of push has been requested from other orgs/people/agencies (i.e. USA Today just interviewed Jan's family for an article they're running on this bill, Jan will be testifying to the house judiciary subcommittee pleading they pass this bill - this is a level most bills do not get past).

While it seems just the opportunity to help improve our nation's missing persons system would require no plea for 1 minute of a person's time, sadly the numbers reflect VERY differently.

Tricia's built a tremendous home where thousands of caring hearts come together here a Websleuths. So would you please spare 1 minute of your time to help. Just click to go directly to the page for signing.
 
I signed and added the info to my SP forum.
 

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