[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 4, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S6299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Protect Our Children Act

  Finally, just yesterday, the House passed a bill I introduced with 
Senators Blumenthal, Klobuchar, and Heller called the PROTECT Our 
Children Act. This bill helps to stop the exploitation of children 
across the country and over the internet by reauthorizing the Internet 
Crimes Against Children, or ICAC, Task Force Program.
  The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is a national network 
of 61 coordinated entities that represent 3,500 Federal, State, and 
local law enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute child 
predators. They develop victim support programs, provide training and 
technical assistance, and advance forensic methods.
  They also help facilitate community education to make parents more 
aware of this threat against all of our children so we can prevent 
internet crimes against children before they even happen. This is an 
issue I have cared about for a long time, starting with my service as 
attorney general of Texas. I saw firsthand how vulnerable children can 
quickly become victimized at the hands of some truly despicable 
individuals. I also learned about the resources it takes to stop and 
prosecute these predators. Like the Presiding Officer, who also served 
as attorney general, we know that not all of our jurisdictions have 
access to the same sort of expertise and resources so it is important 
to have this resource in order to help them investigate and prosecute 
these crimes.
  Back in 2000, when I started it in Texas, we called it the Internet 
Bureau. It is kind of a quaint title these days. Now I think they call 
it the Cyber Crime Unit, but we call it the Internet Bureau to fight 
internet crimes like child pornography. Tragically, in this day and 
age, the internet provides a safe harbor for too many people who want 
to use it for their own nefarious purposes. It can be a difficult arena 
for our law enforcement to navigate, but this bill ensures that they 
will have the resources to fight cyber crimes and keep our communities 
safe by reauthorizing programs until 2022.
  I am happy the House has now acted, and I am thankful for the work of 
my colleagues from Connecticut, Minnesota, and Nevada for joining me in 
this effort. I look forward to working expeditiously to ensure that we 
repass this legislation in the Senate as soon as possible.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. KING. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.