S. 539 - PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025

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Bill text replaced

This bill's text was replaced via an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Some metadata (subjects, policy area, committees) may reflect the original bill and not the current text.

Summary

This bill would reauthorize and update two key federal programs focused on combating child exploitation through 2028. The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction would be updated less frequently (every four years instead of two) with streamlined requirements, while still addressing trends, challenges, and the scope of child exploitation threats. The bill aims to strengthen the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, which coordinates state and local law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute online sexual exploitation of children, by requiring task forces to track and report the number of child victims they identify.

The legislation would also provide additional protections for task force members by limiting their civil and criminal liability for decisions related to investigating internet crimes against children. Additionally, the bill proposes to require the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to share more detailed information with law enforcement agencies when referring cases of online sexual exploitation for investigation. These changes are designed to enhance coordination between federal, state, and local authorities in identifying and protecting child victims of online exploitation.

AI-generated summary

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

May 15, 2025

HearingSenateMeeting

May 15, 2025 · 17:30

Business meeting to consider S.180, to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the use of grant amounts for providing training and resources for first responders on the use of containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other potentially lethal substances, and purchasing such containment devices for use by first responders, S.237, to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide public safety officer benefits for exposure-related cancers, S.419, to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize grants to support law enforcement officers and families, S.539, to reauthorize the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, S.911, to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include certain retired law enforcement officers in the public safety officers' death benefits program, S.1316, to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide that COPS grant funds may be used for local law enforcement recruits to attend schools or academies if the recruits agree to serve in precincts of law enforcement agencies in their communities, S.1563, to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to establish a grant program to help law enforcement agencies with civilian law enforcement tasks, S.1595, to establish standards for trauma kits purchased using funds provided under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, and the nominations of Terrance Cole, of Virginia, to be Administrator of Drug Enforcement, Gadyaces Serralta, of Florida, to be Director of the United States Marshals Service, and Jason Reding Quinones, of Florida, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida for the term of four years, all of the Department of Justice.

Committee

Senate Committee on the Judiciary

View full hearing

Summary

The Senate Committee on the Judiciary convened on May 15, 2025, for a business meeting to consider multiple pieces of legislation aimed at supporting law enforcement officers and first responders. The bills under consideration included measures to provide fentanyl containment devices and training for first responders, establish benefits for officers with exposure-related cancers, reauthorize grants supporting law enforcement and their families, reauthorize the PROTECT Our Children Act, extend benefits to retired law enforcement officers, fund law enforcement recruitment in underserved communities, establish a grant program for civilian law enforcement tasks, and set standards for trauma kits purchased with federal grant funds. The committee also considered three nominations to the Department of Justice: Terrance Cole of Virginia for Administrator of Drug Enforcement, Gadyaces Serralta of Florida for Director of the United States Marshals Service, and Jason Reding Quinones of Florida for United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. No witnesses were listed as testifying during this business meeting, which was focused on the committee's consideration of whether to advance these bills and nominations. A business meeting of this type allows the committee to discuss and potentially vote on legislation without public testimony. The consideration of these bills at this stage does not guarantee they will advance further in the legislative process, as the committee must still decide whether to report them favorably to the full Senate.