S 539
Advanced toward a vote
Reauthorizes the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 and revises federal programs that investigate online child exploitation, including the national strategy, ICAC task forces, grant funding, and reporting by online providers.
Official title: PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
Senate
Introduced
12-FEB-2025
Referred
12-FEB-2025
Approved by committee
15-MAY-2025
Reported
20-MAY-2025
On the calendar
20-MAY-2025
- Changes the national strategy report on child exploitation from every two years to every four years and expands the topics it must cover.
- Authorizes $70 million for fiscal year 2026, $80 million for fiscal year 2027, and $90 million for fiscal year 2028.
- Directs ICAC task forces to identify child victims, and shields task forces and their law enforcement partners from civil claims and criminal charges over prioritization decisions unless the conduct involves intentional misconduct, actual malice, gross negligence, or reckless disregard.
- Repeals title II of the 2008 act, which covered additional regional computer forensic labs, and requires providers' CyberTipline reports to include supplemental data.
Covers an older version. The newest CRS summary describes the bill as of "Introduced in Senate" (12-FEB-2025); the text has changed since (Reported to Senate, 20-MAY-2025).
CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.gov- Judiciary Committee (Senate)
Crime and Law Enforcement
■ 7 D■ 5 R
7 Democrats
5 Republicans