PROTECT Our Children Act of 2007
Latest action · Nov 15, 2007 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedOct 16, 2007
- Passed HouseNov 14, 2007
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2007 or the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2007 - Title I: Special Counsel For Child Exploitation Prevention And Interdiction - (Sec. 101) Directs the Attorney General to appoint a Special Counsel for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction within the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. Sets forth the duties of the Special Counsel, including: (1) coordination of the policies and strategies of the Department of Justice (DOJ) related to the prevention and investigation of child exploitation cases; (2) coordination with other federal agencies, including the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to combat child exploitation crimes; (3) coordination and oversight of the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program and the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data Network Center established by this Act; (4) providing training and technical assistance for law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation crimes; and (5) developing and overseeing research programs for child exploitation prevention.
(Sec. 102) Establishes with DOJ a National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)Task Force Program consisting of state and local task forces (including at least one ICAC Task Force for each state) to address online enticement of children, child exploitation, and child obscenity and pornography cases.
(Sec. 103) Sets forth the purposes of the Program, including: (1) increasing the investigative capabilities of state and local law enforcement officers in the detection, investigation, and apprehension of child exploitation crimes facilitated by the Internet; (2) providing training and technical assistance to ICAC task forces and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; (3) increasing the number of Internet crimes against children offenses to be investigated and prosecuted; (4) enhancing nationwide response to Internet crimes against children offenses; and (5) developing and delivering Internet crimes against children public awareness and prevention programs.
(Sec. 104) Sets forth the duties and functions of state and local ICAC task forces relating to investigations, forensic examinations, and prosecutions of Internet crimes against children,
(Sec. 105) Directs the Attorney General to establish a National Internet Crimes Against Children Data Network Center to assist the National ICAC Task Force Program and federal, state, local, and tribal agencies investigating and prosecuting child exploitation. Requires the Center to develop and maintain an technology and training program to provide: (1) a secure system of online communications between ICAC task forces and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies regarding ongoing investigations; (2) a secure online system for resolving case conflicts; (3) a secure data storage and analysis system; and (4) guidelines and technical assistance for the use of the Center by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Directs the Attorney General to establish an ICAC Data Network Center Steering Committee.
Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2016.
(Sec. 106) Authorizes the Office of Justice Programs to award grants to state and local ICAC task forces. Sets forth criteria for the distribution of ICAC grants funds.
Requires state or local ICAC task forces receiving grants to submit annual reports to the Attorney General on the operations of such task forces.
Requires the Attorney General to report to Congress on: (1) the progress of ICAC task forces; and (2) the number of federal and state investigations, prosecutions, and convictions in the prior 12-month period related to child exploitation.
(Sec. 107) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2016.
Title II: Additional Measures to Combat Child Exploitation - (Sec. 201) Requires the Attorney General to: (1) establish additional computer forensic capacity to address the current backlog for computer forensics, including for child exploitation investigations; and (2) report to Congress annually on the use of funds for such purpose. Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2016.
(Sec. 202) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2016 for the hiring of additional Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and personnel to work solely on child exploitation cases as part of the FBI's Innocent Images National Initiative.
(Sec. 203) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2006 for the hiring of additional full-time personnel in the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Postal Service to work solely on child exploitation and child obscenity cases.
(Sec. 205) Requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Postmaster General, to report annually to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on the resources used by federal agencies to investigate and prosecute child exploitation and child obscenity cases.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 1091 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended | Passed— | Nov 14, 2007 |
Cosponsors 38
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Oct 16, 2007 to Nov 6, 2007, with 29 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CA | Adam B. Schiff | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-OH | Betty Sutton | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-IN | Brad Ellsworth | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-MD | C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-TX | Chet Edwards | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| R-CT | Christopher Shays | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-KS | Dennis Moore | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-CO | Diana DeGette | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-ND | Earl Pomeroy | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-CA | Ellen O. Tauscher | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-AZ | Gabrielle Giffords | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-NC | Heath Shuler | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-MN | James L. Oberstar | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-NY | Jerrold Nadler | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
| D-CA | Jerry McNerney | Original | Oct 16, 2007 |
Actions 12
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Nov 15, 2007Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Nov 14, 2007Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H13884-13885)
- Nov 14, 2007Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Nov 14, 2007On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 - 2 (Roll no. 1091). (text: CR 11/13/007 H13582-13585)
- Nov 14, 2007Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 - 2 (Roll no. 1091).(text: CR 11/13/007 H13582-13585)
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 1738 | PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 | Related bill | Oct 13, 2008 |
| S 2237 | Crime Control and Prevention Act of 2007 | Related bill | Oct 25, 2007 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.
- Child pornography
- Child sexual abuse
- Computer crimes
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Crime prevention
- Criminal investigation
- Criminal justice information
- Customs administration
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Justice
- Economics and Public Finance
- Electronic surveillance
- Executive reorganization
- Families
- Federal advisory bodies
- Federal aid to law enforcement
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Federal law enforcement officers
- Foreign Trade and International Finance
- Government Operations and Politics
- Internet
- Postal service
- Prosecution
- Recruiting of employees
- Science, Technology, Communications
Text 2
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Nov 14, 2007Engrossed in House
- Oct 16, 2007Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.