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HR 6998 Cleared committee

Requires the Department of Homeland Security to hire, train, and assign at least 200 forensics analysts and child exploitation investigators to help identify and rescue victims of child sexual exploitation.

Official title: Renewed Hope Act

Next stop House floor: awaiting a vote
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
House
Introduced 09-JAN-2026
Referred 09-JAN-2026
Approved by committee 13-JAN-2026
Key points
  • Requires 40 forensics analysts and 30 child exploitation investigators for the Victim Identification Laboratory, plus 130 more positions supporting Homeland Security Investigations field offices
  • Bars moving these positions outside the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit or Special Agent in Charge offices, and lets employees transfer out only by choice
  • Creates a Victim Identification Training Program for federal, state, local, Tribal, and foreign law enforcement, civil service groups, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
  • Requires victim information to be kept in a secure place and used only for investigations, connecting victims to medical and federal services, mandatory reporting, or sharing with law enforcement
AI-generated from the Introduced in House text of 09-JAN-2026 · verify · report an error
Official CRS summary

No CRS summary yet. CRS writes one for most bills, often months after they move.

CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Check on congress.gov
Committee referrals (1) Policy area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor Laurel M. Lee (R-FL) Cosponsors · 16
■ 10 R■ 6 D