I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7919 
To direct the Attorney General to convene a national working group to 
study proactive strategies and needed resources for the rescue of children 
from sexual exploitation and abuse, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2020 
Ms. SPANBERGER (for herself and Mr. CLINE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To direct the Attorney General to convene a national working 
group to study proactive strategies and needed resources 
for the rescue of children from sexual exploitation and 
abuse, 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 ‘‘National Response to 
Exploitation and Sexual Abuse of Children in Unad-
dressed Emergencies Act’’ or the ‘‘Child RESCUE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
(1) The growing international trade in child 
abuse imagery creates demand and incentive for the 
sexual assault of children throughout the United 
States. 
(2) United States law enforcement efforts to 
combat child sexual exploitation have the potential 
to help multiple distinct groups of victims, including 
children depicted in the imagery itself who are still 
being assaulted; children and adults whose past vic-
timization is being viewed and shared online; and 
children who are being sexually assaulted by adults 
who could be interdicted while accessing or sharing 
illegal imagery online. 
(3) In 2006, Congressional hearings of the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives, the Department of Justice, Fed-
eral Bureau of Investigation, and State law enforce-
ment leaders estimated that there are hundreds of 
thousands of adults in the United States engaging 
in child sexual abuse material crimes. 
(4) A growing body of research—including aca-
demic studies, analysis by the United States Sen-
tencing Commission, and findings by law enforce-
ment polygraphers—indicates that a majority of in-
dividuals possessing and sharing child sexual abuse 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
material are ‘‘dual offenders’’, who both possess ille-
gal imagery and also commit contact offenses. 
(5) According to the National Association to 
Protect Children, identifying dual offenders through 
proactive police investigations is one of the most ef-
fective strategies for child sexual abuse prevention 
available. By using technology-assisted policing 
strategies, law enforcement can follow the trail of il-
legal imagery to the locations of offenders who have 
a sexual interest in children, enabling the rescue of 
current victims and interrupting future assaults. 
(6) Despite this historic opportunity to locate 
child sexual predators and rescue children, United 
States law enforcement is increasingly unable to con-
duct proactive investigations aimed at finding the 
most dangerous predators. According to the Na-
tional Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 
leads from electronic service providers and the public 
grew exponentially over the past decade, from 
500,000 in 2008 to 18.4 million in 2018. This influx 
of reports has overwhelmed law enforcement agen-
cies and task forces, forcing them to limit proactive 
investigations. 
(7) While continued, rapid response to leads 
from electronic service providers and the public is 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
essential, increasing child rescues also requires 
United States law enforcement to increase and im-
prove its capacity to conduct victim-centric, proac-
tive investigations of suspects it believes have the 
highest likelihood of being contact offenders. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKING GROUP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall 
establish a national working group, to be known as the 
U.S. Commission on Children in Imminent Danger, to 
study proactive policing strategies and resource needs to 
rescue children in the United States who are— 
(1) victims of child sexual abuse material; or 
(2) victims of sexual abuse by individuals who 
are also engaged in child sexual abuse material 
crimes. 
(b) PRIORITY.—In carrying out the study described 
in subsection (a), the U.S. Commission on Children in Im-
minent Danger shall give priority to investigative leads 
that indicate the possibility of identifying or rescuing child 
victims. 
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE WORKING GROUP. 
In carrying out the study described in section 3, the 
working group shall— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
(1) develop estimates of the total number of 
adults in the United States who are committing 
crimes involving the production, distribution, receipt, 
or possession of child sexual abuse material, includ-
ing the number of such individuals who— 
(A) could be interdicted by Federal, State, 
and local law enforcement if sufficient funding 
resources were available; and 
(B) are committing crimes involving sexual 
contact with children; 
(2) develop estimates of the total number of 
minor victims of child sexual abuse in the United 
States, disaggregated by age range, who— 
(A) could be located and protected from 
further abuse through the interdiction of indi-
viduals committing offenses described in para-
graph (1); or 
(B) are likely to become victims of contact 
sexual offenses by adults committing offenses 
described in paragraph (1), in the 10-year pe-
riod beginning on the date of enactment of this 
Act; 
(3) develop estimates and descriptions of the 
funding, resources, and proactive strategies nec-
essary for Federal, State, and local law enforcement 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
to successfully locate and protect minor victims de-
scribed in paragraph (2); and 
(4) provide additional analysis and nonduplica-
tive estimates of— 
(A) the number of adults who were ar-
rested by Federal, State, and local agencies 
during the 5-year period before the date of en-
actment of this Act, by year, for any of the of-
fenses described in paragraph (1); 
(B) the number of adults who were pros-
ecuted federally and in the States during the 5- 
year period before the date of enactment of this 
Act, by year, for any of the offenses described 
in paragraph (1); 
(C) the estimated number of unidentified 
victims depicted in child abuse imagery that is 
known to the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited Children; and 
(D) the number and percentage of of-
fenses, as described in paragraph (1) of this 
section, that are committed by adults in a posi-
tion of trust or authority, including analysis of 
potential proactive strategies that could be used 
by social service agencies and other child abuse 
investigators to detect both child exploitation 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
and contact sexual offenses by offenders de-
scribed in paragraph (1). 
SEC. 5. MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The working group shall be com-
posed of such representatives of Federal departments and 
agencies, non-Federal law enforcement agencies, and non-
governmental organizations as the Attorney General con-
siders appropriate. The Attorney General shall invite the 
following individuals to be members of the working group: 
(1) Three representatives from State or local 
grantees of the Internet Crimes Against Children 
task force program with extensive, direct experience 
conducting proactive, online undercover investiga-
tions, including use of specialized tools for peer-to- 
peer investigations. 
(2) A representative of the Department of Jus-
tice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. 
(3) The Department of Justice’s National Coor-
dinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Inter-
diction. 
(4) A representative of the Behavioral Analysis 
Unit of the United States Marshals Service or a des-
ignee. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
(c) TERMS.—Each member should be appointed for 
the life of the working group. 
(d) VACANCY.—Any member appointed to fill a va-
cancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which 
the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be ap-
pointed only for the remainder of that term. A member 
may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until 
a successor has taken office. A vacancy in the working 
group shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made. 
(e) COMPENSATION.—Members of the working group 
shall serve without pay. 
(f) QUORUM.—A simple majority of the members 
constitutes a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hear-
ings. 
(g) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the working 
group shall be the director of the Child Exploitation and 
Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice. 
(h) MEETINGS.—The working group shall hold vir-
tual meetings monthly, and any subgroup of the working 
group shall hold additional meetings as necessary. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
SEC. 6. STAFF OF WORKING GROUP; EXPERTS AND CON-
SULTANTS. 
(a) STAFF.—The Chairperson of the working group 
may appoint and fix the pay of additional personnel as 
the Chairperson considers appropriate. 
(b) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Chairperson 
may procure temporary and intermittent services under 
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. 
(c) DETAILEES.—Upon request of the Chairperson, 
the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, 
on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that de-
partment or agency to the working group to assist it in 
carrying out its duties under this Act. 
SEC. 7. POWERS OF WORKING GROUP. 
(a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The working group 
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear-
ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and 
receive evidence as the working group considers appro-
priate. The working group may administer oaths or affir-
mations to witnesses appearing before it. 
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem-
ber or agent of the working group may, if authorized by 
the Chairperson, take any action which the working group 
is authorized to take by this section, including requesting 
information and data. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
(c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The working group 
may secure directly from any department or agency of the 
United States information necessary to enable it to carry 
out this Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the work-
ing group, the head of that department or agency shall 
furnish that information to the working group. 
(d) MAILS.—The working group may use the United 
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other departments and agencies of the United 
States. 
(e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 
the request of the working group, the Administrator of 
General Services shall provide to the working group, on 
a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services 
necessary for the working group to carry out its respon-
sibilities under this Act. 
SEC. 8. REPORT. 
Not later than 210 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the working group shall submit to the Attorney 
General, the Committees on the Judiciary of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate, and the Committees 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate, which shall contain a detailed statement of the 
findings and conclusions of the working group, together 
with its recommendations for legislation. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
SEC. 9. TERMINATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The working group shall termi-
nate 120 days after submission of the report under section 
8, unless the Attorney General determines that such ter-
mination is not appropriate. 
(b) RECONVENING GROUP.—In the case that the 
working group terminates under subsection (a), the Attor-
ney General may reconvene the working group in accord-
ance with this Act. 
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CHILD
SEXUAL
ABUSE
MATERIAL.—The 
term ‘‘child sexual abuse material’’ has the meaning 
given the term ‘‘child pornography’’ in section 2256 
of title 18, United States Code. 
(2) KNOWN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.—The term 
‘‘known to law enforcement’’ means a Federal, 
State, or local law enforcement agency has evidence 
of a crime that can be attributed to a person or loca-
tion, including an email address, internet protocol 
address, screen name, computer global unique identi-
fier, phone number, or other information attrib-
utable to that person or location. 
(3) PROACTIVE POLICING.—The term ‘‘proac-
tive policing’’ means specialized, covert, or under-
cover investigations conducted by law enforcement 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS
involving people or organizations that law enforce-
ment authorities have a reasonable suspicion to be-
lieve are engaged in criminal activity. For purposes 
of this Act, such investigations involve cases de-
scribed under Federal child exploitation laws. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:35 Aug 21, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H7919.IH
H7919
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with BILLS