I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6998 
To enhance hiring authorities at the Department of Homeland Security, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 9, 2026 
Ms. LEE of Florida (for herself and Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To enhance hiring authorities at the Department of 
Homeland Security, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Renewed Hope Act’’. 
SEC. 2. IMAGE AUDIO FORENSICS HIRING AND TRAINING 
PROGRAMS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOME-
LAND SECURITY. 
(a) ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.—The Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall hire, train, and assign not fewer 
than— 
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(1) 40 forensics analysts to the Victim Identi-
fication Laboratory of the Child Exploitation Inves-
tigations Unit of Homeland Security Investigations; 
(2) 30 child exploitation investigators to the 
Victim Identification Laboratory of the Child Exploi-
tation Investigations Unit of Homeland Security In-
vestigations; and 
(3) 130 additional forensics analysts and child 
exploitation investigators to support identification 
and rescue of victims of child sexual exploitation and 
abuse at Homeland Security Investigations offices of 
the Special Agent in Charge. 
(b) PROHIBITION
ON
REASSIGNMENT
OF
POSI-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A position created under 
subsection (a) may not be reassigned to another 
component of the Department of Homeland Security 
that is outside of the Child Exploitation Investiga-
tions Unit of Homeland Security Investigations or 
the offices of the Special Agent in Charge of Home-
land Security Investigations, as applicable. 
(2) REASSIGNMENT OF EMPLOYEES.—An em-
ployee serving in a position created under subsection 
(a) may be reassigned to another component of the 
Department of Homeland Security that is outside of 
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the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit of Home-
land Security Investigations or the offices of the 
Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security In-
vestigations only if the employee elects to be so reas-
signed. 
(c) EMPLOYMENT
OF
EXPERTS
AND
CONSULT-
ANTS.—Section 890A of the Homeland Security Act of 
2002 (6 U.S.C. 473) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (i); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(g) EMPLOYMENT
OF EXPERTS
AND CONSULT-
ANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with section 
3109 of title 5, United States Code, at daily rates 
not to exceed the equivalent rate prescribed for 
grade GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 
5332 of such title, the Secretary may procure by 
contract the temporary (not in excess of 1 year) or 
intermittent services of experts or consultants to 
provide image and audio forensic analysis related to 
victim identification to support efforts to identify, lo-
cate, and rescue children seen in videos images and 
videos of sexual exploitation and abuse. 
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‘‘(2) PLACEMENT.—The Secretary shall pro-
mulgate guidelines for assigning or detailing partici-
pants to positions at the Center, offices of the Spe-
cial Agent in Charge, offices of the Resident Agent 
in Charge, and Attache´ offices.’’. 
SEC. 3. DECONFLICTION OF CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION 
AND ABUSE INVESTIGATIONS WITHIN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. 
Section 890A(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 
2002 (6 U.S.C. 473(a)) is amended by inserting after 
paragraph (2) the following: 
‘‘(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall, 
with the concurrence of the directors of affected 
agencies within the Department, establish joint pro-
cedures to deconflict, coordinate, and synchronize 
child sexual exploitation investigations with the Cen-
ter. 
‘‘(4) NCMEC 
COORDINATION.—The Center 
may establish joint procedures with the National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children to 
deconflict, coordinate, and synchronize child sexual 
exploitation investigations with the Child Victim 
Identification Program of the National Center for 
Missing and Exploited Children.’’. 
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