AUSTIN – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) released the following statements after their 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, passed the Senate:

“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.”

“I am proud that this critical legislation—which ensures that those who exploit and sexually abuse children are held accountable—has passed the Senate,” said Sen. Booker. “This bipartisan effort reflects our shared commitment to strengthen current laws to better protect children and provide justice for victims.”

U.S. Representatives Troy Nehls (TX-22) and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) are leading companion legislation in the House.

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), and the National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA).