55 East Genesee Street

Baldwinsville, NY 13027

6 October 1999

Congressman James Walsh

2351 Rayburn Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Congressman Walsh:

I am a coordinator for a group of parents who are seeking Civil Rights legislation to recognize the basic right of both parents and children to be together. Almost all of these people, myself included, have been shocked by their treatment in the various State and Federal Courts across the country.

We are not a “Mother’s” group or a “Father’s” group. We are parents concerned about what has happened to our children. We have tried to understand that the Judges, Lawyers, and other professionals in the present “system” are doing the best they can -- but often with tragic results. We are Citizens of the United States who believe it is time our most basic Civil Right be recognized and given the protection it deserves: the right of a parents/children to associate with each other.

The attached draft of the Family Rights Act of 1999 is an attempt to capture those ideals. We would like your help in getting this introduced as a Bill as soon as possible. Other members of the group will be looking for additional sponsors across the country. We are not experienced “legislators” and look forward to working with your local staff in discussing the wording of the Act and making it better.

Certainly this Act will mean tremendous changes across the country. But we hope everyone will look at it by first agreeing these are basic Human Rights -- and if they are, does this Act protect them.

We all look forward to hearing from you. I can be contacted via:

phone: 315-635-1968, x-211, fax: 315-635-3243, email: jmurtari@kids-right.org

Please also visit our web site at: http://www.kids-right.org/

Sincerely yours,

John Murtari