Lower Bucks Today

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), and Anna Eshoo (CA-16), and Senator Ron Wyden (OR) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation aimed at combating online child exploitation and addressing the lack of funding for key enforcement and prevention efforts.

The Invest in Child Safety Act, first introduced in 2020, seeks to allocate over $5 billion in mandatory funding to investigate and target individuals who create and share child sexual abuse material online. The legislation also provides substantial funding for community-based initiatives to prevent children from becoming victims in the first place. Additionally, the bill proposes the establishment of a new office within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to coordinate efforts across federal agencies, in response to the DOJ's failure to comply with a 2008 law requiring such coordination and reporting.

Congressman Fitzpatrick emphasized the urgent need for action, stating, "Law enforcement agencies are unfortunately overwhelmed responding to the amount of child sexual abuse proliferating online. I'm proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation that would give our hero law enforcement additional tools and resources to crack down on these heinous criminals. It's our responsibility to do everything in our power to protect our children."

Congresswoman Eshoo echoed these sentiments, stating, "Protecting children is the most important thing I do in Congress and we have to do more to ensure that they’re safe from sexual exploitation. Our bill will boost enforcement resources to federal and state agencies and provide increased funding for evidence-based programs to detect, prevent and support victims of child sexual abuse."

Senator Wyden emphasized the government's responsibility to safeguard children from online exploitation, stating, "The federal government has a responsibility and moral obligation to protect children from exploitation online, but right now it’s failing in large part because of a lack of funding and coordination. It’s time for a new approach to find child predators, prosecute these monsters, and help protect children from becoming victims in the first place."

The Invest in Child Safety Act proposes several measures to tackle child exploitation. These include quadrupling the number of prosecutors and agents in DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, adding 100 new agents and investigators for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Innocent Images National Initiative and other specialized units, funding new positions at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to enhance their ability to process reports of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), doubling funding for state Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces, and increasing funding for evidence-based programs and support services for victims.

The bill also calls for tech companies to hold evidence of CSAM for longer periods in a secure database to aid in the prosecution of older cases. Furthermore, it establishes an Office to Enforce and Protect Against Child Sexual Exploitation within the Executive Office of the President, tasked with coordinating and streamlining the federal government's efforts to combat child exploitation.

The Invest in Child Safety Act enjoys broad support and is co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Don Bacon (NE-2) and Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) in the House, as well as Senators Peter Welch (VT), Alex Padilla (CA), Laphonza Butler (CA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) in the Senate. The bill has also garnered endorsements from organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, National Children's Alliance, Child Welfare League of America, National District Attorneys Association, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Family Online Safety Institute, and the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association.

Christine James-Brown, President and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America, expressed support for the legislation, stating, "We know there is strong evidence that child sexual abuse has increased at a frightening rate due to expanded use of, and access to, the internet and social media, a problem that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. CWLA is pleased to endorse Senator Ron Wyden's efforts through the Invest in Child Safety Act to address this problem by strengthening enforcement mechanisms and providing greater support to the children and their families who are victims."

The reintroduction of the Invest in Child Safety Act highlights the commitment by lawmakers to prioritize the protection of children from online exploitation and provide the necessary resources to law enforcement agencies and support services. With its comprehensive approach and bipartisan support, the bill aims to make significant strides in combating child sexual abuse material and ensuring the safety and well-being of children across the nation.