Following a small road bump, the federal Ashanti Alert Act is heading to President Donald Trump to be signed into law.
The alert is designed to save people like Ashanti Billie, who was abducted from JEB Little Creek last year, and later found murdered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives used unanimous consent to move the Act forward, meaning both judiciary committees and both parties supported the legislation and they would not need to debate it again.
But due to House rules, questions arose over a group of bills -- including the Ashanti Alert -- which delayed the next step.
On Thursday afternoon, the House began holding separate votes on each of the stalled bills. The Ashanti Alert passed with bipartisan support, by a vote of 386-to-2.
The bill now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law.
Ashanti Billie was 19 years old at the time of her abduction, making her too old for an Amber Alert and too young for a Silver Alert. But her parents thought an alert could have helped save their daughter's life.
46-year-old Eric Brown has been arrested and charged with Billie's kidnapping and murder.
Earlier this year, the Critically Missing Adult Alert passed in Virginia, which took effect on July 1.
The federal version of this law would expand the alert across the country. If a national Ashanti Alert were issued, the Department of Justice would work with the AMBER Alert network to get the word out. The alert would be limited to areas where the person most likely could be.
“Her legacy will live on,” Representative Scott Taylor, who introduced the bill earlier this year, told 13News Now. “Out of this darkness and tragedy there's going to be some brightness and people's lives will be saved.”
Taylor's legislation passed in the House back in September and then moved on to the U.S. Senate. The Senate added a few amendments to the Act, which caused the legislation to return to the House, culminating in Thursday's vote.
“It started in Hampton Roads and started with the efforts of community activists, quite frankly,” Taylor said. “So, never underestimate what you can do and the impact you can have by stepping forward and leading.”
There’s no word yet as to if and when President Trump will sign the legislation.
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