WASHINGTON, D.C., March 21, 2024 – The End Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC) Coalition, a group of organizations committed to furthering policies that protect children online, commends the House Judiciary Committee on today’s markup of the Revising Existing Procedures on Reporting via Technology (REPORT) Act (H.R.5082). The bill passed through committee unanimously with a 23-0 vote, and it now awaits a vote by the full House of Representatives.
The REPORT Act would serve as a step toward ending the harrowing crimes of sexual exploitation and abuse of children by:
- Requiring websites and social media platforms to report violations of federal crimes involving child sex trafficking and online enticement or coercion of children.
- Increasing the fine for websites and social media platforms that knowingly and willfully fail to report child sexual abuse material and online child sexual exploitation.
- Increasing the length of time websites and social media platforms are required to preserve evidence for reports they submit to the CyberTipline, giving law enforcement more time to investigate and prosecute.
The bipartisan bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Laurel Lee (R-FL-15), Susie Lee (D-NV-03), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01), and Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04). A companion bill in the Senate (S.474) was introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA). The bill passed in the Senate on Dec. 14, 2023, with an amendment by unanimous consent.
“Today and every day, we cry out for justice. We hope that lawmakers and tech owners will hear our voices and ensure the safety of children on their platforms.” – End OSEAC Survivors’ Council
The End OSEAC Coalition urges the House to move forward with a full chamber vote on the bill so it can be sent to the president’s desk for a signature.
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 the online sexual exploitation and abuse of children and provide appropriate support to survivors. Learn more about our mission to #ProtectKidsOnline: endoseac.org.
