Coalition Response to House Hearing on CSAM Identification

House Judiciary holds hearing about increase in child sexual abuse material

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 6, 2024 – The End Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC) Coalition, a group of organizations committed to advocacy to further policies that protect children online, supports today’s hearing House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee On Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, chaired by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) titled, “A Voice for the Voiceless – CSAM Identification.” As a follow-up to the hearing, the coalition urges Congress to take swift action on several bills to increase online child safety. 

The prevalence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is rapidly increasing, and children around the world are being harmed. This global crime requires a global response to identify and rescue victims of CSAM. It is past time for the United States to take a leadership role in the solution.

In his opening remarks, Rep. Biggs (R-AZ) stated, “We must bring attention to these innocent victims, these children living in the shadows, longing to be discovered and rescued. We must not shy away from hard topics and hard conversations. We have to do better.” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PN) emphasized the need for “victim-centered solutions,” and that law enforcement should not have to “choose between rescuing children and finding criminals” due to resource constraints. 

Witnesses for the hearing included:

• Tim Tebow, Founder, Tim Tebow Foundation; former professional football player 
• Camille Cooper, Vice President of Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation, Tim Tebow Foundation
• Jim Cole, retired Homeland Security Investigations supervisor
• John Madsen, Board President, Raven

“This hearing emphasized the thousands of child sexually abuse images of unidentified children that occur around the world, says John Pizzuro, CEO of Raven. “These unidentified child victims continue to be abused and it’s up to us to identify and protect our children today, not tomorrow.  Congress must act with legislation and to fund our frontline protectors.” 

The End OSEAC Coalition supports multiple bipartisan bills currently awaiting action from Congress, all of which take steps to help stop the exploitation of kids online: EARN IT Act (S.1207 / H.R.2732), END Child Exploitation Act (H.R.6246), Kids Online Safety Act (S.1409), Project Safe Childhood Act (S.1170 / H.R.2661), REPORT Act (S.474 / H.R.5082), SHIELD Act (S.412 / H.R.3686) and STOP CSAM Act (S.1199).

About the End OSEAC Coalition

The End Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC) Coalition is a U.S. advocacy coalition that aims to improve U.S. government policies and programs to better prevent and address online sexual exploitation and abuse of children and provide appropriate support to survivors. Learn more about our mission to #ProtectKidsOnline: endoseac.org.