Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, along with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, have introduced a bill aimed at protecting kids from child exploitation.

What You Need To Know

  • Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle introduced a new bill aimed at protecting kids from child exploitation

  • Joining Sen. John Cornyn in efforting the bill are Democratic and Republican lawmakers spanning several states, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, Marsha Blackburn, R-TN, Josh Hawley, R-MO, Dick Durbin, D-IL, and Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, and Reps. Nathaniel Moran,TX-01, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, FL-25

  • The PROTECT Our Children Act would reauthorize and modernize the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC)

The PROTECT Our Children Act would reauthorize and modernize the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC), which was introduced in 1998 to investigate and prosecute internet crimes against children.

“For decades, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program has played an invaluable role in helping federal, state, and local law enforcement work together to fight child exploitation and put vicious predators behind bars,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By extending and modernizing this program, our legislation would ensure these Task Forces can continue to protect our next generation in an increasingly digital world.”

Joining Cornyn in efforting the bill are Democratic and Republican lawmakers spanning several states, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, Marsha Blackburn, R-TN, Josh Hawley, R-MO, Dick Durbin, D-IL, and Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, and Reps. Nathaniel Moran, TX-01, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, FL-25.

“As a former prosecutor, I know the importance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program for our law enforcement officials,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “This law will help us continue this critical collaborative effort to protect children from predators on the internet.”

According to a statement regarding the bill, the PROTECT Our Children Act would:

  • Update and modernize the requirements for the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction and require the U.S. Department of Justice to provide information on efforts to protect children nationwide
  • Provide liability protection for ICAC Task Forces in the course of conducting criminal investigations of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child abuse material
  • Make needed technical improvements and clarifications to the statutory text of the program to match it to current technology and needs
  • Focus the ICAC program on both proactive and reactive investigations
  • And reauthorize the ICAC Program through 2027 with an escalator authorization