The assembled audience hushed, pointed and whispered, "That's her, she's here," when Elizabeth walked onto a stage with her parents, Ed and Lois Smart. They and families of other abducted children were on hand to watch President Bush sign into law a new child protection bill promoting a national AMBER Alert system.

Elizabeth Smart has rarely appeared publicly outside of her Salt Lake home since her return six weeks ago, and this was her first participation in such a formal setting. As if on cue, when Elizabeth appeared bright sun broke through clouds. The 15-year-old, wearing a spring dress and a white hair ribbon, was slightly nervous as cameras clicked and seemed not to know quite where to put her hands. But she smiled broadly as her parents wrapped their arms around her protectively.

With us today are some families who understand better than most the need for this law," the president said. "In your great suffering and loss, you have found the courage to come to the defense of all children. Because of you, this critical measure is now becoming law," Bush told the Smarts and other families.

David Smart, Ed's brother, said in Salt Lake City later Wednesday that he had spoken to his sibling after the ceremony. "He was extremely happy to be there," David Smart said.

Ed Smart had vigorously promoted a national AMBER Alert after Elizabeth was kidnapped June 5, 2002, as well as after her return nine months later.The legislation "puts the teeth" in protections for missing children, David Smart said. "It helps protect children, it will help bring children back, and it punishes people who do this to children," he said. Ed and Lois Smart purposefully kept a low-profile at the event in order to protect Elizabeth's privacy. They did grant one on-camera interview to John Walsh of "America's Most Wanted." The program will be aired sometime later this week.

But after the attack, he quickly pushed his larger bill through the House. A House-Senate conference was soon called to work out a final bill, which easily passed both houses.

The president did not mention the Smarts by name during the Rose Garden ceremony, although he shook their hands and talked to them. He did mention the other families by name, and also praised Sensenbrenner for achieving a wide-ranging bill. The Smarts also declined press interviews, as they have done in recent weeks as their daughter tries to readjust. But all other families of abducted children present did give interviews. Bush told the families, "No child should ever have to experience the terror of abduction, or worse. No family should ever have to endure the nightmare of losing a child. Our nation grieves with every family that has suffered unbearable loss. And our nation will fight threats against our children."

On stage with the Smarts was the family of Amber Hagerman, for whom AMBER Alerts are named (they are also an acronym for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response). Amber, 9, was abducted and murdered in Texas in 1996. Her killing has not been solved.

Also, there were the families of two abducted California teenagers, Tamara Brooks and Jacqueline Marris, who were rescued quickly last summer after AMBER Alert tips.

Elizabeth Smart was finally rescued on March 12 after passers-by phoned Sandy city police when they saw a man described in media reports that morning as a suspect. Brian David Mitchell, 49, a self-proclaimed prophet, and his wife, Wanda Barzee, 57, have been charged with kidnapping, burglary and sexual assault in connection with the abduction.

The new law is now 80 pages long, with a wide range of provisions besides the AMBER Alert. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said after the ceremony it is "one of the toughest child protection bills in history." Included is legislation by Hatch to again outlaw "virtual" child pornography, even if it is computer-generated and doesn't use real people. The Supreme Court recently overturned a similar 1996 law that Hatch wrote, but he said the new law is rewritten and should now withstand any constitutional challenge. Other provisions include requiring a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence for child kidnapping; lifetime supervision for sex offenders; and a "two-strikes-and-you're-out" provision requiring life sentences for second-time offenders of child sex crimes.

The package also limits the opportunity for pretrial release for those accused of child abduction and sex offenses, and lengthens the statute of limitations for such crimes.
The bill beefs up laws against kidnapping and trafficking of women and children in the international sex industry. It also doubles authorized funding for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Sensenbrenner, who worked to expand that package, said, "Some doubted this legislation could be enacted because they mistakenly believed Congress lacked the willpower. Those doubters were wrong and our children will be safer under this legislation as a result."

Ed Smart told his brother that the president's signing of the bill is indeed a historic event.
"This is one of the best pieces of child legislation ever," David Smart said. Hatch greeted the Smarts after the ceremony and gave Elizabeth a hug. "I told her I was proud of her," the senator said. "She basically smiled and said, 'Hi.' That was enough for me."