II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4926 

To amend chapter 33 of title 28, United States Code, to require appropriate 

use of multidisciplinary teams for investigations of child sexual exploitation or abuse, the production of child sexual abuse material, or child 

trafficking conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022 

Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. GRAHAM, and Mr. COONS) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To amend chapter 33 of title 28, United States Code, to 

require appropriate use of multidisciplinary teams for 

investigations of child sexual exploitation or abuse, the 

production of child sexual abuse material, or child trafficking conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Respect for Child Sur5 vivors Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS. 

2 (a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 33 of title 28, United 

3 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol4 lowing: 

5 ‘‘§ 540D. Multidisciplinary teams 

6 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

7 ‘‘(1) the term ‘child sexual abuse material’ 

8 means a visual depiction described in section 

9 2256(8)(A) of title 18; 

10 ‘‘(2) the term ‘covered investigation’ means any 

11 investigation of child sexual exploitation or abuse, 

12 the production of child sexual abuse material, or 

13 child trafficking conducted by the Federal Bureau of 

14 Investigation; 

15 ‘‘(3) the term ‘Director’ means the Director of 

16 the Federal Bureau of Investigation; 

17 ‘‘(4) the term ‘multidisciplinary team’ means a 

18 multidisciplinary team established or used under 

19 subsection (b)(2); 

20 ‘‘(5) the term ‘relevant children’s advocacy cen21 ter personnel’ means children’s advocacy center staff 

22 that regularly participate in multidisciplinary child 

23 support settings, including the director of the chil24 dren’s advocacy center, the coordinator of a multi25 disciplinary team, forensic interviewers, victim advo26 cates, forensic medical evaluators, physicians, sexual 


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1 assault nurse examiners, and mental health clini2 cians; and 

3 ‘‘(6) the term ‘victim advocate’ means a person, 

4 whether paid or serving as a volunteer, who provides 

5 services to victims under the auspices or supervision 

6 of a victim services program. 

7 ‘‘(b) FBI VICTIM SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the functions 

9 described in subsection (c) in connection with each 

10 covered investigation conducted by the Federal Bu11 reau of Investigation, the Director shall— 

12 ‘‘(A) use a multidisciplinary approach; and 

13 ‘‘(B) unless impracticable or otherwise in14 consistent with applicable Federal law, in ac15 cordance with paragraph (3), use— 

16 ‘‘(i) a trained Federal Bureau of In17 vestigation child adolescent forensic inter18 viewer; or 

19 ‘‘(ii) in the absence of a trained Fed20 eral Bureau of Investigation child adoles21 cent forensic interviewer, a trained forensic 

22 interviewer at a children’s advocacy center. 

23 ‘‘(2) USE AND COORDINATION.—The Director 

24 shall use and coordinate with children’s advocacy 


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1 center-based multidisciplinary teams as necessary to 

2 carry out paragraph (1). 

3 ‘‘(3) CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTERS.—The 

4 Director— 

5 ‘‘(A) may work with children’s advocacy 

6 centers to implement a multidisciplinary team 

7 approaches for purposes of covered investiga8 tions; and 

9 ‘‘(B) shall allow, facilitate, and encourage 

10 multidisciplinary teams to collaborate with a 

11 children’s advocacy center with regard to avail12 ability, provision, and use of services to and by 

13 victims and families that are participants in or 

14 affected by the actions at issue in a covered in15 vestigation. 

16 ‘‘(4) REPORT.—The Director shall submit to 

17 the Attorney General an annual report identifying 

18 any interview of a victim reporting child sexual 

19 abuse material or child trafficking that took place— 

20 ‘‘(A) without the use of— 

21 ‘‘(i) a multidisciplinary approach; 

22 ‘‘(ii) a trained forensic interviewer; or 

23 ‘‘(iii) either the use of a multidisci24 plinary approach or a trained forensic 

25 interviewer; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) for each interview identified under 

2 subparagraph (A), describing the exigent cir3 cumstances that existed with respect to the 

4 interview, in accordance with paragraph (1). 

5 ‘‘(5) MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING.—The 

6 Director shall seek to enter into a memorandum of 

7 understanding with a reputable national accrediting 

8 organization for children’s advocacy centers— 

9 ‘‘(A) under which— 

10 ‘‘(i) the children’s advocacy services of 

11 the national organization are made avail12 able to field offices of the Federal Bureau 

13 of Investigation in the United States; and 

14 ‘‘(ii) special agents and other employ15 ees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 

16 are made aware of the existence of such 

17 memoranda and its purposes; and 

18 ‘‘(B) which shall reflect a trauma-in19 formed, victim-centered approach and provide 

20 for case review. 

21 ‘‘(c) FUNCTIONS.—The functions described in this 

22 subsection are the following: 

23 ‘‘(1) To provide for the sharing of information 

24 among the members of a multidisciplinary team, 

25 when such a team is used, and with other approVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:22 Oct 04, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4926.IS S4926

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1 priate personnel regarding the progress of a covered 

2 investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

3 ‘‘(2) To provide for and enhance collaborative 

4 efforts among the members of a multidisciplinary 

5 team, when such a team is used, and other appro6 priate personnel regarding a covered investigation. 

7 ‘‘(3) To enhance the social services available to 

8 victims in connection with a covered investigation, 

9 including through the enhancement of cooperation 

10 among specialists and other personnel providing 

11 such services in connection with a covered investiga12 tion. 

13 ‘‘(4) To carry out other duties regarding the re14 sponse to investigations of child sexual abuse or 

15 trafficking. 

16 ‘‘(d) PERSONNEL.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each multidisciplinary 

18 team shall be composed of the following: 

19 ‘‘(A) Appropriate investigative personnel. 

20 ‘‘(B) Appropriate mental health profes21 sionals. 

22 ‘‘(C) Appropriate medical personnel. 

23 ‘‘(D) Victim advocates or victim specialists. 

24 ‘‘(E) Relevant children’s advocacy center 

25 personnel, with respect to covered investigations 


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1 in which the children’s advocacy center or per2 sonnel of the children’s advocacy center were 

3 used in the course of the covered investigation. 

4 ‘‘(F) Prosecutors, as appropriate. 

5 ‘‘(2) EXPERTISE AND TRAINING.— 

6 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any individual as7 signed to a multidisciplinary team shall possess 

8 such expertise, and shall undertake such train9 ing as is required to maintain such expertise, in 

10 order to ensure that members of the team re11 main appropriately qualified to carry out the 

12 functions of the team under this section. 

13 ‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT.—The training and 

14 expertise required under subparagraph (A) shall 

15 include training and expertise on special vic16 tims’ crimes, including child sexual abuse. 

17 ‘‘(e) SHARING OF INFORMATION.— 

18 ‘‘(1) ACCESS TO INFORMATION.— 

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subpara20 graphs (B) and (C), relevant children’s advo21 cacy center personnel who are assigned to work 

22 on a covered investigation under this section 

23 shall be granted access to the case information 

24 necessary to perform their role conducting fo25 rensic interviews and providing mental health 


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1 treatment, medical care, and victim advocacy 

2 for Federal Bureau of Investigation cases. 

3 ‘‘(B) INCLUDED INFORMATION.—The case 

4 information described in subparagraph (A) to 

5 which relevant children’s advocacy center per6 sonnel shall be granted access includes— 

7 ‘‘(i) case outcome of forensic inter8 views; 

9 ‘‘(ii) medical evaluation outcomes; 

10 ‘‘(iii) mental health treatment refer11 rals and treatment completion; 

12 ‘‘(iv) safety planning and child protec13 tion issues; 

14 ‘‘(v) victim service needs and referrals 

15 addressed by the victim advocate; 

16 ‘‘(vi) case disposition; 

17 ‘‘(vii) case outcomes; and 

18 ‘‘(viii) any other information required 

19 for a children’s advocacy centers as a part 

20 of the standards of practice of the chil21 dren’s advocacy center. 

22 ‘‘(C) EXEMPT INFORMATION.—The case 

23 information described in subparagraph (A) does 

24 not include— 

25 ‘‘(i) classified information; 


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1 ‘‘(ii) the identity of confidential in2 formants; or 

3 ‘‘(iii) other investigative information 

4 not included as a part of the standards of 

5 practice of the children’s advocacy center. 

6 ‘‘(2) SHARING INFORMATION WITH FBI.—Chil7 dren’s advocacy centers shall provide the Federal 

8 Bureau of Investigation with forensic interview re9 cordings and documentation, medical reports, and 

10 other case information on Federal Bureau of Inves11 tigation-related cases. 

12 ‘‘(3) SECURITY CLEARANCES.— 

13 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Bureau 

14 of Investigation shall provide security clear15 ances to relevant children’s advocacy center per16 sonnel for purposes of case review by multidisci17 plinary teams, if it is determined that those 

18 personnel are eligible and possess a need-to19 know specific classified information to perform 

20 or assist in a lawful and authorized government 

21 function. 

22 ‘‘(B) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA23 TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 

24 such sums as are necessary to carry out sub25 paragraph (A). 


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1 ‘‘(f) USE OF TEAMS.—Multidisciplinary teams used 

2 under this section shall be made available to victims re3 porting child sexual abuse or child trafficking in covered 

4 investigations, regardless of the age of the victim making 

5 the report. 

6 ‘‘(g) CASE REVIEW BY MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM.— 

7 Throughout a covered investigation, a multidisciplinary 

8 team supporting an investigation under this section shall, 

9 at regularly scheduled times, convene to— 

10 ‘‘(1) share information about case progress; 

11 ‘‘(2) address any investigative or prosecutorial 

12 barriers; and 

13 ‘‘(3) ensure that victims receive support and 

14 needed treatment. 

15 ‘‘(h) AVAILABILITY OF ADVOCATES.—The Director 

16 shall make advocates available to each victim who reports 

17 child sexual abuse or child trafficking in connection with 

18 an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

19 ‘‘(i) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.— 

20 ‘‘(1) INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY.—Nothing in 

21 this section shall be construed to augment any exist22 ing investigative authority of the Federal Bureau of 

23 Investigation or to expand the jurisdiction of any 

24 Federal law enforcement agency. 


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1 ‘‘(2) PROTECTING INVESTIGATIONS.—Nothing 

2 in this section shall be construed to limit the legal 

3 obligations of the Director under any other provision 

4 of law, including section 552a of title 5 (commonly 

5 known as the ‘Privacy Act of 1974’), or require the 

6 sharing of classified information with unauthorized 

7 persons.’’. 

8 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 

9 The table of sections for chapter 33 of title 28, United 

10 States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat11 ing to section 540C the following: 

‘‘540D. Multidisciplinary teams.’’. 

Æ 


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