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Modifies timing and required contents of the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (section 101 of the PROTECT Our Children Act).
Alters establishment and programmatic provisions for the National ICAC Task Force Program (section 102), changes language about inclusion/continuity of task forces, modifies certain discretion/requirements, and adds a limited-liability provision for ICAC task forces.
Adjusts the stated purposes of ICAC task forces, adding certain jurisdictions and a new education-related purpose for the judiciary.
Modifies duties and functions of ICAC task forces, including replacement of the paragraph on handling leads and reprioritization of paragraph numbering.
Changes whether the Attorney General must establish the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System, removes specific Operation Fairplay language, and adjusts membership representation.
Alters ICAC grant program distribution and reporting requirements and adds a specified minimum share of funds for program support.
Adds new authorizations of appropriations for additional fiscal years and adjusts punctuation in existing paragraphs.
Strikes Title II of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 from the subchapter.
Updates and reauthorizes the federal law aimed at combating online child sexual exploitation. It revises the schedule and required content for the National Strategy, strengthens roles and legal protections for Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces, revises grant and data-system rules, and authorizes multi-year funding for FY2026–FY2028 to support investigations, prevention, and victim services. The changes add new required elements to the Strategy, adjust how task forces operate and are protected, change grant and data-sharing requirements, and provide specified funding levels to sustain ICAC operations and related technical systems over the next three fiscal years.
Change the required frequency for the National Strategy (Section 101) from "every second year" to "every fourth year."
Require the National Strategy to include specific contents: analysis of current trends and magnitude of child exploitation; analysis of future trends including new technologies; goals and strategic solutions (including interagency coordination, engagement with judicial branches, legislative recommendations, cooperation with international/State/local/Tribal law enforcement, and engagement with the private sector); review of Federal efforts (including DOJ policies, training, investigative and prosecution activity, and DOJ cooperation with other entities).
Require the National Strategy to estimate resources needed to respond at scale, listing entities for which estimates are required: each ICAC task force; FBI (including investigators, forensic interviewers, and analysts); Homeland Security Investigations (including forensic interviewers and analysts); United States Marshals Service; United States Secret Service; United States Postal Service; criminal investigative offices of the Department of Defense; and any component of an agency described.
Require a review of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program in the National Strategy, including number and location of ICAC task forces; number of trained personnel at each; amount of Federal grants awarded to each; and an assessment of Federal/State/local cooperation including arrests, referrals to U.S. attorneys, prosecutions and convictions, and other information the Attorney General determines.
Require an assessment of training needs for each ICAC task force and affiliated agencies.
Primary impacts:
Law enforcement and ICAC task forces: Clearer statutory authority and protections reduce legal ambiguity for investigators and participating agencies, likely increasing operational stability. Task forces receiving grant funding will see revised application, allowable-use, and reporting rules that may require administrative changes.
Federal and state grant administrators: Agencies that award or manage grants must update solicitations, performance measures, compliance reviews, and monitoring to reflect new statutory conditions and reporting expectations.
Data and technology systems: Requirements for the federal data system(s) used to collect and share child-exploitation information will drive technical upgrades, changes to access control, retention policies, and interoperability standards. System operators must implement privacy and security measures consistent with the statute.
Victims and service providers: Strengthened procedural protections and sustained funding may improve victim privacy, case handling, and support services; service providers who rely on federal grants may have new reporting obligations but also continued funding opportunities.
Platform operators and private-sector partners: Indirect effects could include new expectations for coordination with law enforcement or participation in federal strategy goals, although the legislation primarily targets government programs and funding.
Administrative burden and timeline:
Risks and tradeoffs:
Overall effect:
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced February 12, 2025 by John Cornyn · Last progress February 12, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.