Summary

Makes targeted changes to federal criminal sexual‑abuse law to broaden federal jurisdiction, add a new offense for certain intentional non‑clothed touching of the genitalia of persons under 16 in federal jurisdictions, clarify and expand attempt liability, and create a limited reasonable‑belief defense when the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence they reasonably believed the victim was at least 16. One jurisdictional change is explicitly made retroactive to conduct before, on, or after enactment.

• Adds a limited reasonable‑belief defense where a defendant proves by a preponderance they reasonably believed the victim was at least 16 in certain kidnapping contexts involving victims under 16.
• Changes jurisdictional language from "crosses a State line" to "travels in interstate or foreign commerce" and makes that change retroactive.
• Creates a new federal offense for knowingly causing intentional, non‑clothed touching of the genitalia of persons under 16 in federal jurisdictions and certain federal facilities.
• Clarifies and reorganizes attempt rules so attempts are explicitly punishable the same as completed abusive sexual contact offenses.
• Broadens wording in travel‑related sexual offense provisions to cover "any conduct involving" the specified sexual behavior, not only acts defined elsewhere.
• Updates cross‑references and sentencing classifications to cite specific subparagraphs and to explicitly include attempts and abusive sexual contact where applicable.
• Mostly technical drafting and cross‑reference changes intended to streamline prosecution and sentencing of these offenses.
• One amendment is explicitly retroactive, which could affect prosecutions for conduct that occurred before enactment.