[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8609-S8610]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. Franken, Mr. Tester, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
        Booker, Ms. Baldwin, and Mr. Schumer):
  S. 2397. A bill to amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants 
to States that extend or eliminate unexpired statutes of limitation 
applicable to laws involving child sexual abuse; to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2397

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT.

       (a) In General.--The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

      ``TITLE III--GRANTS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

     ``SEC. 301. FINDINGS.

       ``Congress finds that--
       ``(1) child sexual abuse is a pernicious crime perpetrated 
     through threats of violence, intimidation, manipulation, and 
     abuse of power;
       ``(2) due to the subversive nature of this crime, the 
     average age of disclosure of incestuous child sexual abuse 
     does not occur until a victim is over 25 years old;
       ``(3) because many State statutes of limitations applicable 
     to laws involving child sexual abuse fail to give victims 
     adequate time to come forward and report their abuse, 
     numerous victims are unable to seek fair and just remediation 
     against their abusers; and
       ``(4) due to the especially heinous nature of child sexual 
     abuse, it is imperative that perpetrators of this crime are 
     punished, prevented from reoffending, and victims have

[[Page S8610]]

     the opportunity to see their abusers brought to justice.

     ``SEC. 302. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this title--
       ``(1) the term `eligible State' means a State or Indian 
     tribe that, not later than September 30 of the preceding 
     fiscal year does not have any statute of limitations 
     applicable to laws involving child sexual abuse; and
       ``(2) the term `Indian tribe' means a tribe identified in 
     the list published by the Secretary of the Interior in the 
     Federal Register pursuant to section 104 of the Federally 
     Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a-1).

     ``SEC. 303. GRANT PROGRAM.

       ``The Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General, 
     is authorized to make grants to eligible States for the 
     purpose of assisting eligible States in developing, 
     establishing, and operating programs designed to improve--
       ``(1) the assessment and investigation of suspected child 
     sexual abuse cases, in a manner that limits additional trauma 
     to the child and the family of the child;
       ``(2) the investigation and prosecution of cases of child 
     sexual abuse; and
       ``(3) the assessment and investigation of cases involving 
     children with disabilities or serious health-related problems 
     who are suspected victims of child sexual abuse.

     ``SEC. 304. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     title $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 
     2025.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply to any violation of a law involving child sexual 
     abuse committed before the date of the enactment of this Act 
     if the statute of limitations applicable to that law had not 
     run as of the date of enactment of this Act.

                          ____________________