Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., announced Thursday that a congressional panel dedicated to human rights will hold a hearing on the international child abduction case involving David Goldman of Tinton Falls, N.J.

"David Goldman's human rights as a father, his rights under U.S. law and international treaty have been trampled," Smith said. "He and his son, Sean, have lost five precious years of their life together while the Brazilian government has allowed this case to drag on interminably.

"Brazil has not complied with the international treaty on child abduction it freely signed. The U.S. government needs to highlight the urgency of cases like David Goldman's and impress upon our treaty partners that delay is denial especially when children are taken out of one country or remain separated from a parent without that parent's consent."

The hearing will be held on Dec. 2, before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, which says its mission is to advocate for internationally recognized human rights standards in a nonpartisan manner, both within and outside of Congress. Smith is on the commission's executive committee.

"This is good news," said Goldman, who traveled to Washington to see Smith Thursday. "It's a step in the right direction. It shows that the government is not letting this issue rest. Hopefully this is the first of several hearings to come. It's my understanding that these things tend to build momentum when an issue like this gets brought to the forefront."

Goldman's ex-wife took their son to Brazil on June 16, 2004. They were going on a two-week vacation, he thought. Shortly after she got to Brazil, Bruna Goldman called her husband and informed him that she was never coming back to New Jersey, and that if he ever wanted to see his son again he would have to come down and sign some papers her lawyer had drawn up.

Bruna later got a divorce in Brazil and remarried. In August, 2008, she died hours after giving birth to a daughter. Sean Goldman now lives with his stepfather, a lawyer from a prominent family in Rio de Janeiro.

"David Goldman will be our top witness at this hearing," Smith said. "He has spawned a movement on behalf of left behind parents whose children have been illegally taken to or retained in other countries. This is a perfect platform for him to speak to the Congress and the world.

"International child abduction violates the human rights of the left behind parent and the human rights of the child to know both parents. Sadly, international child abductions are on the increase — in the last three years, reported international child abductions increased 60 percent."

Smith added that abducted children often lose their relationship with one parent, half of their identity, half of their culture. They are at risk of serious emotional and psychological problems and have been found to experience anxiety, eating problems, nightmares, mood swings, sleep disturbances, aggressive behavior, resentment, guilt and fearfulness.

"We know the human costs and the ramifications of international child abduction," Smith said. "The United States signed the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction to protect American children and parents. If our treaty partners cannot or will not implement the provisions of the Hague Convention, we need to do something further to help these children."

One solution Smith has offered is new legislation, The International Child Abduction Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 3240). The bill would empower the United States to more aggressively pursue the resolution of abduction cases. Under Smith's proposal, when a country has shown a pattern of non-cooperation in resolving child abduction cases, the president will be able to respond decisively with a range of penalties or sanctions.

"I want to thank Congressman Smith," Goldman said. "Congressmen from both sides of the aisle have told me, 'You have a real bulldog in your corner. If I needed someone in my corner, I would want it to be him.' "