WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representatives Troy Nehls (TX-22) and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) today introduced the Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act, which would close loopholes in existing criminal child sexual abuse statues to help law enforcement better prosecute offenders and protect victims:

“Perpetrators who attack our children must face consequences for their heinous actions,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By closing loopholes in current law, our legislation would ensure these dangerous offenders aren’t able to escape accountability on a technicality and are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Last Congress, Senator Cornyn and I introduced and passed this bipartisan legislation in the Senate to ensure that those who exploit and abuse children are held accountable,” said Sen. Booker. “This bill would close loopholes in current law to better allow us to protect our nation’s most vulnerable from predators. I urge my colleagues in both chambers to pass this critical legislation so we can better protect children from exploitation and sexual abuse and provide justice for victims.”

“Any existing loopholes in United States federal law that allow child predators to escape justice must be closed immediately,” said Rep. Nehls. “The abuse of a child, in any form, is completely unacceptable. As a father and a former Texas Sheriff, I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing bipartisan legislation that will empower our nation’s law enforcement and our justice system to hold bad actors who abuse our children, here at home and abroad, accountable.”

“As lawmakers, we have the solemn duty of protecting our nation’s children from kidnapping and sexual exploitation,” said Rep. Dean. “Yet under current law, there are loopholes that allow bad actors to evade prosecution. This legislation clarifies and strengthens federal law to ensure offenders are held accountable. I’m grateful to Congressman Nehls, Senator Booker, and Senator Cornyn for their partnership to ensure our kids are kept safe.”

Background:

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, which made a series of recommendations for Congress to strengthen federal enforcement of child exploitation laws. The Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act aims to incorporate those recommendations and define the DOJ’s authority to prosecute perpetrators by:

• Closing the kidnapping loophole by clarifying that kidnapping of a child can occur by deceiving a third party and the circumstances where consent can be used as a defense;
• Closing the international travel loopholes by clarifying that traveling to sexually abuse a child includes crossing international lines and that committing a sexual abuse felony against a child while abroad is a crime;
• Closing the sexual contact loophole by clarifying that causing a child to commit a sexual act themselves is also a crime;
• And closing the attempt loophole by clarifying that attempting to commit the sexual contact offenses is also a crime.

The Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act is endorsed by the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, Major County Sherriff’s of America, Rights4Girls, Hope for Justice, Street Grace, 3Strands Global Foundation, Fraternal Order of Police, the National Children’s Alliance (NCA), Protect All Child from Trafficking (PACT), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) and the National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA).