Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act

This proposal updates federal criminal laws to better protect kids from kidnapping and sexual abuse. In kidnapping cases with victims under 16, a child’s “consent” can’t be used as a defense, unless the offender proves they reasonably believed the child was at least 16. It also broadens coverage of certain sex crimes to include people who travel between states or internationally, not just those who “cross a State line”; this change applies to conduct before, on, or after the law takes effect . The bill makes it a federal crime, in federal areas like the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction and in federal prisons, to cause a person under 16 to touch someone’s genitals without clothing with sexual intent, and attempts are punished the same as completed offenses. It reorganizes and strengthens rules on abusive sexual contact and attempts, updates related civil-rights and sentencing references, and revises wording in the “illicit sexual conduct” section so it covers any conduct, not just a “sexual act” .

Key points

• Who is affected: children under 16; people accused of kidnapping or sexual abuse; cases in federal areas and federal prisons.
• What changes: limits the “consent” defense for under-16 victims; expands coverage to travel in interstate or foreign commerce; adds a crime for causing a minor to touch genitals; treats attempts like completed offenses; updates cross-references and the “illicit sexual conduct” wording .
• When: the travel-language change applies to conduct before, on, or after enactment.