Legis Daily

PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-539| Senate 
| Updated: 5/20/2025
John Cornyn

John Cornyn

Republican Senator

Texas

Cosponsors (12)
Bill Cassidy (Republican)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Marsha Blackburn (Republican)Ashley Moody (Republican)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Josh Hawley (Republican)Chuck Grassley (Republican)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the fight against child exploitation by reauthorizing and significantly amending the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. It modifies the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, changing its reporting frequency from every two years to every four years. The bill expands the required contents of this strategy to include comprehensive analyses of current and future trends, strategic solutions, and detailed resource estimates for various federal agencies involved in combating child exploitation. Furthermore, the legislation mandates a thorough review of federal efforts, including the performance of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces and statistical data on child pornography trafficking. The National ICAC Task Force Program is broadened to include Tribal and military law enforcement agencies, with an increased emphasis on the identification of child victims. A notable provision introduces limited liability protection for ICAC task forces and participating law enforcement agencies regarding their prioritization decisions for leads related to internet crimes against children, unless intentional misconduct or gross negligence is involved. The bill clarifies the purposes of ICAC task forces, explicitly including the identification of child victims and prioritizing investigations most likely to result in positive case outcomes and child rescues. It expands collaboration to include probation and parole agencies, child advocacy centers, and child protective services. A new purpose is added: educating the judiciary on the link between intrafamilial contact offenses and technology-facilitated crimes, as well as characteristics of internet offenders. The ICAC Grant Program is also updated, requiring at least 20 percent of appropriated funds to support the ICAC Task Force Program through grants for training, technical assistance, tool development, research, and wellness training. Reporting requirements for grant recipients are enhanced to include the number of child victims identified. Finally, the bill authorizes increased appropriations, specifying $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, and $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2028, while also updating reporting requirements for providers of child exploitation material to include supplemental data.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-5060
PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2024
Feb 12, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1274
Introduced in House
Feb 12, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 12, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
May 15, 2025
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
May 20, 2025
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
May 20, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-5060
    PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2024


  • February 12, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1274
    Introduced in House


  • February 12, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 12, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.


  • May 15, 2025
    Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • May 20, 2025
    Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • May 20, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.

Crime and Law Enforcement

Related Bills

  • S 117-4834: PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022
  • S 119-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
  • HR 119-1274: PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025
Child safety and welfareCivil actions and liabilityComputers and information technologyCrime preventionCrimes against childrenCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationCriminal justice information and recordsDomestic violence and child abuseHuman traffickingIntergovernmental relationsInternet, web applications, social mediaLaw enforcement administration and fundingMissing personsPornographySex offensesSmuggling and trafficking

PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-539| Senate 
| Updated: 5/20/2025
The PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the fight against child exploitation by reauthorizing and significantly amending the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. It modifies the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, changing its reporting frequency from every two years to every four years. The bill expands the required contents of this strategy to include comprehensive analyses of current and future trends, strategic solutions, and detailed resource estimates for various federal agencies involved in combating child exploitation. Furthermore, the legislation mandates a thorough review of federal efforts, including the performance of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces and statistical data on child pornography trafficking. The National ICAC Task Force Program is broadened to include Tribal and military law enforcement agencies, with an increased emphasis on the identification of child victims. A notable provision introduces limited liability protection for ICAC task forces and participating law enforcement agencies regarding their prioritization decisions for leads related to internet crimes against children, unless intentional misconduct or gross negligence is involved. The bill clarifies the purposes of ICAC task forces, explicitly including the identification of child victims and prioritizing investigations most likely to result in positive case outcomes and child rescues. It expands collaboration to include probation and parole agencies, child advocacy centers, and child protective services. A new purpose is added: educating the judiciary on the link between intrafamilial contact offenses and technology-facilitated crimes, as well as characteristics of internet offenders. The ICAC Grant Program is also updated, requiring at least 20 percent of appropriated funds to support the ICAC Task Force Program through grants for training, technical assistance, tool development, research, and wellness training. Reporting requirements for grant recipients are enhanced to include the number of child victims identified. Finally, the bill authorizes increased appropriations, specifying $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, and $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2028, while also updating reporting requirements for providers of child exploitation material to include supplemental data.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-5060
PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2024
Feb 12, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1274
Introduced in House
Feb 12, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 12, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
May 15, 2025
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
May 20, 2025
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
May 20, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-5060
    PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2024


  • February 12, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1274
    Introduced in House


  • February 12, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 12, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.


  • May 15, 2025
    Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • May 20, 2025
    Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • May 20, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.
John Cornyn

John Cornyn

Republican Senator

Texas

Cosponsors (12)
Bill Cassidy (Republican)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Marsha Blackburn (Republican)Ashley Moody (Republican)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Josh Hawley (Republican)Chuck Grassley (Republican)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee

Crime and Law Enforcement

Related Bills

  • S 117-4834: PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022
  • S 119-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
  • HR 119-1274: PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Child safety and welfareCivil actions and liabilityComputers and information technologyCrime preventionCrimes against childrenCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationCriminal justice information and recordsDomestic violence and child abuseHuman traffickingIntergovernmental relationsInternet, web applications, social mediaLaw enforcement administration and fundingMissing personsPornographySex offensesSmuggling and trafficking