SEC. 4. VICTIM IDENTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall establish a Victim Identification Training Pro-
gram (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Program’’) in 
the Cyber Crimes Center. 
(b) PROGRAM.—The Program shall provide training 
used to identify victims of sexual exploitation and abuse 
to— 
(1) Homeland Security Investigations per-
sonnel; 
(2) Federal, State, local, Tribal, and foreign 
law enforcement agency personnel engaged in the in-
vestigation of crimes of child sexual exploitation and 
abuse within their respective jurisdictions; 
(3) Civil service organizations engaged in the 
prevention of child sexual exploitation and the iden-
tification of abuse victims; and 
(4) The National Center for Missing and Ex-
ploited Children. 
(c) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Program shall 
include— 
(1) annual training for participants focused 
on— 
(A) training on the most current tools and 
techniques used in victim identification; and 
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(B) training on the capabilities of the Vic-
tim Identification Laboratory; and 
(2) increasing personnel knowledge on how to 
conduct image, audio, and video enhancements. 
SEC. 5. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY FOR HOMELAND SECU-
RITY INVESTIGATIONS. 
(a) DIRECT HIRE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the head of Homeland Security Investiga-
tions may appoint, without regard to the provisions 
of subchapter I of chapter 33 (other than sections 
3303 and 3328 of such chapter) of title 5, United 
States Code, qualified candidates to the positions de-
scribed in section 2(a). 
(2) LIMITATION.—The authority under para-
graph (1) shall not be available to the head if, dur-
ing any period, at least 97 percent of such positions 
are occupied. 
(b) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act and for each of the 4 fol-
lowing years, the head of Homeland Security Investiga-
tions shall submit a report to the Committee on the Judi-
ciary and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee on the 
Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
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Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and any other rel-
evant congressional committee of jurisdiction. Each such 
report shall include the following: 
(1) The total number of individuals appointed 
by the head under this section during the preceding 
year. 
(2) How the direct hiring authority under this 
section is being used by the head. 
SEC. 6. APPLICATION. 
The requirements of each of sections 2 through 4 of 
this Act, and any amendment made by such sections, shall 
be carried out not later than the date that is 3 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 7. PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR VICTIMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A covered person shall— 
(1) keep all identifying information and docu-
ments concerning a victim of child sexual exploi-
tation or abuse in a secure place to which only indi-
viduals working to identify and rescue victims of 
child sexual exploitation or abuse have access; and 
(2) not disclose or use any information or docu-
ments concerning a victim of child sexual exploi-
tation or abuse other than for the purposes of— 
(A) investigating or prosecuting individuals 
for crimes of child sexual exploitation or abuse; 
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(B) connecting victims— 
(i) to licensed and trained trauma in-
formed medical professions; or 
(ii) with Federal resources available 
through the Office of Victims of Crime at 
the Department of Justice; 
(C) complying with any mandatory victim 
reporting requirements; or 
(D) sharing information with other law en-
forcement personnel for the purpose of inves-
tigating or prosecuting individuals for crimes of 
child sexual exploitation or abuse. 
(b) COVERED PERSON DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘covered person’’ means— 
(1) any Federal, State, or local law enforcement 
officer; or 
(2) any other personnel of the Department of 
Homeland Security, 
working in, employed by, or detailed to the Child Exploi-
tation Investigations Unit of Homeland Security Inves-
tigations or to the offices of the Special Agent in Charge 
of Homeland Security Investigations. 
Æ 
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