S 539
· 119th Congress
· Crime and Law Enforcement
PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025
Sponsor
Latest action
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.
Action timeline
Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.
May 20, 2025
committee
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Judiciary Committee
May 20, 2025
other
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.
May 15, 2025
committee
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Judiciary Committee
Feb 12, 2025
introduced
Introduced in Senate
Feb 12, 2025
introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Judiciary Committee
Text versions
Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.
CRS summaries
Plain-English summaries written by the Congressional Research Service — neutral, nonpartisan staff who summarize bills as they advance through stages. The authoritative description of what each version of the bill does.
00
Introduced in Senate
Feb 12, 2025
PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025
This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and updates (1) the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (National Strategy), and (2) the National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program.
With respect to the National Strategy, current law requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to update the strategy every two years and include 19 specific elements in the strategy (e.g., long-range goals, annual measurable objectives, and future trends). This bill requires DOJ to update the National Strategy every four years. The bill also revises and consolidates the 19 required elements into 9 required elements, including an analysis of current trends and challenges as well as the overall magnitude of the threat of child exploitation.
The ICAC Task Force Program is a national network of task forces that support state and local efforts to investigate and prosecute the online sexual exploitation of children. This bill requires ICAC task forces to increase the investigative capacity of law enforcement to identify child victims and report the number of child victims identified in their annual reports. The bill also limits the liability of ICAC task forces for civil claims or criminal charges in federal or state court arising from decisions with respect to leads related to internet crimes against children.
Finally, the bill requires the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to provide additional information to law enforcement agencies when it refers a report of online sexual exploitation of children for investigation.
via Congressional Research Service · published through congress.gov
Changelog
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih / is — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh / rfs — Referred to a committee for review.rh / rs — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs / pch — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh / es — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh / rds — Received by the other chamber.eah / eas — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath / ats — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih/is— Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh/rfs— Referred to a committee for review.rh/rs— Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs/pch— Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh/es— Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh/rds— Received by the other chamber.eah/eas— Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath/ats— Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr— Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl— Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp— Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.
+381
−17
48 unchanged
--- Introduced (Senate)
+++ Reported (Senate)
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
-[S. 539 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
+[S. 539 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
+Calendar No. 80
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 539
@@ -17,8 +18,15 @@
February 12, 2025
Mr. Cornyn (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Klobuchar,
-Mr. Hawley, and Mr. Durbin) introduced the following bill; which was
-read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
+Mr. Hawley, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Moody, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Coons, and Ms.
+Hirono) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
+referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
+
+May 20, 2025
+
+Reported by Mr. Grassley, with an amendment
+[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
+in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
@@ -29,6 +37,332 @@
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
+
+<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
+
+<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``PROTECT Our Children
+Reauthorization Act of 2025''.</DELETED>
+
+<DELETED>SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION.</DELETED>
+
+<DELETED> (a) Establishment of National Strategy for Child
+Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.--Section 101 of the PROTECT
+Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21111) is amended--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``every second
+year'' and inserting ``every fourth year''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the
+following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(c) Required Contents of National Strategy.--The
+National Strategy established under subsection (a) shall include the
+following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(1) An analysis of current trends, challenges,
+and the overall magnitude of the threat of child
+exploitation.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(2) An analysis of future trends and challenges,
+including new technologies, that will impact the efforts to
+combat child exploitation.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(3) Goals and strategic solutions to prevent and
+interdict child exploitation, including--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) plans for interagency
+coordination;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) engagement with the judicial
+branches of the Federal Government and State
+governments;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(C) legislative recommendations for
+combating child exploitation;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(D) cooperation with international,
+State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies;
+and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(E) engagement with the private sector
+and other entities involved in efforts to combat child
+exploitation.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(4) An analysis of Federal efforts dedicated to
+combating child exploitation, including--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) a review of the policies and work of
+the Department of Justice and other Federal programs
+relating to the prevention and interdiction of child
+exploitation crimes, including training programs, and
+investigative and prosecution activity; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) a description of the efforts of the
+Department of Justice to cooperate and coordinate with,
+and provide technical assistance and support to,
+international, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement
+agencies and private sector and nonprofit entities with
+respect to child exploitation prevention and
+interdiction efforts.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(5) An estimate of the resources required to
+effectively respond to child exploitation crimes at scale by--
+</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) each ICAC task force;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
+including investigators, forensic interviewers, and
+analysts of victims, witnesses, and
+forensics;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(C) Homeland Security Investigations,
+including forensic interviewers and analysts of
+victims, witnesses, and forensics;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(D) the United States Marshals
+Service;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(E) the United States Secret
+Service;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(F) the United States Postal
+Service;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(G) the criminal investigative offices
+of the Department of Defense; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(H) any component of an agency described
+in this paragraph.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(6) A review of the Internet Crimes Against
+Children Task Force Program, including--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) the number of ICAC task forces and
+the location of each ICAC task force;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) the number of trained personnel at
+each ICAC task force;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(C) the amount of Federal grants awarded
+to each ICAC task force; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(D) an assessment of the Federal, State,
+and local cooperation with respect to each ICAC task
+force, including--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(i) the number of arrests made
+by each ICAC task force;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(ii) the number of criminal
+referrals to United States attorneys for
+prosecution;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(iii) the number of prosecutions
+and convictions from the referrals described in
+clause (ii);</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(iv) the number, if available,
+of local prosecutions and convictions based on
+ICAC task force investigations; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(v) any other information
+determined by the Attorney General
+demonstrating the level of Federal, State,
+Tribal, and local coordination and
+cooperation.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(7) An assessment of training needs for each
+ICAC task force and affiliated agencies.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(8) An assessment of Federal investigative and
+prosecution activity relating to reported incidents of child
+exploitation crimes that include a number of factors,
+including--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) the number of investigations,
+arrests, prosecutions and convictions for a crime of
+child exploitation; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) the average sentence imposed and the
+statutory maximum sentence that could be imposed for
+each crime of child exploitation.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(9) A review of all available statistical data
+indicating the overall magnitude of child pornography
+trafficking in the United States and internationally,
+including--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) the number of foreign and domestic
+suspects observed engaging in accessing and sharing
+child pornography;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) the number of tips or other
+statistical data from the CyberTipline of the National
+Center for Missing and Exploited Children and other
+data indicating the magnitude of child pornography
+trafficking; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(C) any other statistical data
+indicating the type, nature, and extent of child
+exploitation crime in the United States and
+abroad.''.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (b) Establishment of National ICAC Task Force Program.--
+Section 102 of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21112)
+is amended--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (1) in subsection (a)(1)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (A) by inserting ``, Tribal, military,''
+after ``State''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (B) by striking ``and child obscenity and
+pornography cases'' and inserting ``child obscenity and
+pornography cases, and the identification of child
+victims'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (2) in subsection (b)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (2), by striking
+``consult with and consider'' and all that follows
+through ``track record of success.'' and inserting ``,
+evaluate the task forces funded under the ICAC Task
+Force Program to determine if those task forces are
+operating in an effective manner.'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (3)(B)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (i) by striking ``establish a new
+task force'' and inserting ``establish a new or
+continue an existing task force'';
+and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (ii) by striking ``state'' and
+inserting ``State''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (C) in paragraph (4)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (i) in subparagraph (A), by
+striking ``may'' and inserting
+``shall'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (ii) by striking subparagraph (B);
+and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (iii) by redesignating
+subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B);
+and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(c) Limited Liability for ICAC Task Forces.--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph
+(2), a civil claim or criminal charge against an ICAC task
+force established pursuant to this section and sections 103 and
+104, including any law enforcement agency that participates on
+such a task force or a director, officer, employee, or agent of
+such a law enforcement agency, arising from the prioritization
+decisions with respect to leads related to Internet crimes
+against children described in section 104(8), may not be
+brought in any Federal or State court.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(2) Intentional, reckless, or other
+misconduct.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a claim if the
+ICAC task force or law enforcement agency, or a director,
+officer, employee, or agent of that law enforcement agency--
+</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) engaged in intentional misconduct;
+or</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) acted, or failed to act--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(i) with actual
+malice;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(ii) with reckless disregard to
+a substantial risk of causing physical injury
+without legal justification; or</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(iii) for a purpose unrelated to
+the performance of any responsibility or
+function under section 104(8).''.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (c) Purpose of ICAC Task Forces.--Section 103 of the
+PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21113) is amended--
+</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, and the
+identification of child victims of those crimes'' before the
+semicolon at the end;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and
+prioritizing investigations that task force personnel, through
+the background, training and experience of those personnel and
+the consideration of all relevant circumstances, determine to
+be most likely to result in positive case outcomes and in the
+rescue of children'' before the semicolon at the end;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (3) in paragraph (3)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (A) by striking ``and local law
+enforcement'' and inserting ``Tribal, military, and
+local law enforcement''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (B) by inserting ``, including probation
+and parole agencies, child advocacy centers, and child
+protective services,'' after ``enforcement
+agencies'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (4) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' at the
+end;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (5) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at
+the end and inserting ``; and''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (6) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(10) educating the judiciary on--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) the link between intrafamilial
+contact offenses and technology-facilitated crimes;
+and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(B) characteristics of internet
+offenders, including the interest of online offenders
+in incest-themed material, sadism, and other related
+paraphilias or illegal activity.''.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (d) Duties and Functions of Task Forces.--Section 104 of
+the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21114) is amended--
+</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (1) in paragraph (3)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (A) by inserting ``reactive and'' before
+``proactive'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (B) by inserting ``conduct digital''
+before ``forensic examinations''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (C) by inserting ``engage in'' before
+``effective prosecutions'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (2) by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the
+following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(8) investigate, seek prosecution with respect
+to, and identify child victims from leads relating to Internet
+crimes against children, including CyberTipline reports, with
+prioritization determined according to circumstances and by
+each task force, as described in section 102;'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (3) by striking paragraph (9); and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (4) by redesignating paragraphs (10) and (11) as
+paragraphs (9) and (10), respectively.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (e) National Internet Crimes Against Children Data
+System.--Section 105 of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C.
+21115) is amended--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``shall
+establish'' and inserting ``may establish'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``continue and
+build upon Operation Fairplay developed by the Wyoming Attorney
+General's office, which has established a secure, dynamic
+undercover infrastructure that has facilitated'' and inserting
+``facilitate''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (3) in subsection (g)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (A) by striking paragraph (3);</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4)
+through (8) as paragraphs (3) through (7),
+respectively; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (C) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated,
+by striking ``1 representative'' and inserting ``2
+representatives''.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (f) ICAC Grant Program.--Section 106 of the PROTECT Our
+Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21116) is amended--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (2)(B)(ii)(II), by
+striking ``Operation Fairplay,''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (3)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (i) by striking subparagraph (A)
+and inserting the following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(A) Not less than 20 percent of the
+total funds appropriated to carry out this section
+shall be distributed to support the ICAC Task Force
+Program through grants to--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(i) provide training and
+technical assistance to members of the ICAC
+Task Force Program;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(ii) maintain, enhance,
+research, and develop tools and technology to
+assist members of the ICAC Task Force
+Program;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(iii) provide other support to
+the ICAC Task Force Program determined by the
+Attorney General;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(iv) conduct research;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(v) support the annual National
+Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation
+of the Office of Juvenile Justice and
+Delinquency Prevention; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(vi) provide wellness
+training.''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (2) in subsection (d)(1)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (A) in subparagraph (B)--</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (i) in clause (ii), by striking
+``and'' at the end;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (ii) in clause (iii), by striking
+``, including'' and all that follows through
+``such crime under State law.'' and inserting
+``; and''; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (iii) by adding at the end the
+following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(iv) the number of child victims
+identified.'';</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (B) by striking subparagraph (D);
+and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (C) by redesignating subparagraphs (E)
+through (G) as subparagraphs (D) through (F),
+respectively.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 107(a) of
+the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21117(a)) is amended--
+</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (1) in paragraph (9), by striking ``and'' at the
+end;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (2) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at
+the end and inserting a semicolon; and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(11) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(12) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;
+and</DELETED>
+<DELETED> ``(13) $90,000,000 for fiscal year
+2028.''.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (h) Additional Regional Computer Forensic Labs.--The
+PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21101 et seq.) is amended
+by striking title II.</DELETED>
+<DELETED> (i) Reporting Requirements of Providers.--Section 2258A(c)
+of title 18, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding
+paragraph (1), by inserting ``and all supplemental data included in the
+report'' after ``each report made under subsection (a)(1)''.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
@@ -124,7 +458,7 @@
exploitation crimes that include a number of factors,
including--
``(A) the number of investigations, arrests,
-prosecutions and convictions for a crime of child
+prosecutions, and convictions for a crime of child
exploitation; and
``(B) the average sentence imposed and the
statutory maximum sentence that could be imposed for
@@ -189,12 +523,23 @@
``(A) engaged in intentional misconduct; or
``(B) acted, or failed to act--
``(i) with actual malice;
-``(ii) with reckless disregard to a
-substantial risk of causing physical injury
-without legal justification; or
+``(ii) with gross negligence or reckless
+disregard to a substantial risk of causing
+physical injury without legal justification; or
``(iii) for a purpose unrelated to the
performance of any responsibility or function
-under section 104(8).''.
+under section 104(8).
+``(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall
+be construed to--
+``(A) create any independent basis of liability on
+behalf of, or any cause of action against--
+``(i) an ICAC task force; or
+``(ii) a law enforcement agency or a
+director, officer, employee, or agent of the
+law enforcement agency; or
+``(B) expand any liability otherwise imposed, or
+limit any defense to that liability, otherwise
+available under Federal or State law.''.
(c) Purpose of ICAC Task Forces.--Section 103 of the PROTECT Our
Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21113) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, and the
@@ -247,10 +592,10 @@
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``shall establish'' and
inserting ``may establish'';
-(2) in subsection (b) by striking ``continue and build upon
-Operation Fairplay developed by the Wyoming Attorney General's
-office, which has established a secure, dynamic undercover
-infrastructure that has facilitated'' and inserting
+(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``continue and build
+upon Operation Fairplay developed by the Wyoming Attorney
+General's office, which has established a secure, dynamic
+undercover infrastructure that has facilitated'' and inserting
``facilitate''; and
(3) in subsection (g)--
(A) by striking paragraph (3);
@@ -267,10 +612,10 @@
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking subparagraph (A) and
inserting the following:
-``(A) Not less than 20 percent of the total funds
-appropriated to carry out this section shall be
-distributed to support the ICAC Task Force Program
-through grants to--
+``(A) In general.--Not less than 20 percent of the
+total funds appropriated to carry out this section
+shall be distributed to support the ICAC Task Force
+Program through grants to--
``(i) provide training and technical
assistance to members of the ICAC Task Force
Program;
@@ -316,4 +661,23 @@
18, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by inserting ``and all supplemental data included in the report''
after ``each report made under subsection (a)(1)''.
-<all>
+Calendar No. 80
+
+119th CONGRESS
+
+1st Session
+
+S. 539
+
+_______________________________________________________________________
+
+A BILL
+
+To reauthorize the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, and for other
+purposes.
+
+_______________________________________________________________________
+
+May 20, 2025
+
+Reported with an amendment
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Cosponsors (12)
Members who signed on to support this bill.