[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 188 (Monday, December 5, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8750-H8752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PROVIDING RESOURCES, OFFICERS, AND TECHNOLOGY TO ERADICATE CYBER 
                  THREATS TO OUR CHILDREN ACT OF 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (S. 4834) to reauthorize the National Internet Crimes Against 
Children Task Force Program.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 4834

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Resources, 
     Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our 
     Children Act of 2022'' or the ``PROTECT Our Children Act of 
     2022''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION.

       Section 107(a)(10) of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 
     (34 U.S.C. 21117(a)(10)) is amended by striking ``2022'' and 
     inserting ``2024''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on S. 4834.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4834, the PROTECT Our Children 
Act of 2022, a critical piece of bipartisan legislation that would 
reauthorize the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, or ICAC, 
which has worked tirelessly for 14 years to protect our children from 
online predators.
  It is no exaggeration to say the internet today is one of the most 
dangerous places for our Nation's children, many of whom spend hours 
online each day. Predators use social media and other online resources 
to groom and entice children to commit sexual acts.
  The internet makes it easy for sex and labor traffickers to gain 
clandestine access to children and teens, recruit them into their 
organization, and exploit them. The internet is also the primary 
vehicle for distributing child sex abuse material and committing 
criminal acts of extortion against minors. It also provides an open 
forum for cyberbullying and online harassment, which can lead victims 
of such conduct to withdraw, become depressed, and even commit suicide.
  To combat these monstrous crimes and to protect our youth from 
exploitation, ICAC task forces work with Federal, State, and local law 
enforcement to develop an effective holistic response to cybercrimes 
against children. Their programs include forensic and investigative 
components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and 
community education.

[[Page H8751]]

  This network is made up of 61 separate forces, three of which are in 
my home State of Texas. These task forces are created and authorized by 
the original PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, which expired this past 
September at the end of the fiscal year.
  Online threats to children and the need for ICAC task forces are only 
growing. Between 2008 and 2021, the number of these arrests rose from 
2,500 to more than 10,000 each year. This agency's work resulted in 
more than 137,000 investigations and 90,300 forensic exams in 2021 
alone.
  Earlier this year, the southern Texas task force received significant 
funding, its first, authorized by the PROTECT Our Children Act allowing 
it to provide substantial investigative, prosecutorial, and victim 
services and to utilize tips from the ICAC database and the National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a longstanding agency that 
has been fighting for missing and exploited children to identify and 
rescue child victims.
  The work of these task forces nationwide will not be able to continue 
unless we fund this critical law enforcement initiative. It is, 
therefore, essential that we reauthorize the ICAC program by passing 
the bipartisan PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022. The act would extend 
funding for these task forces and programs through 2024.
  Without this crucial legislation, our children will remain vulnerable 
to those who seek to exploit and hurt them in the most horrific of ways 
with the ease and anonymity that the internet provides.
  I commend my colleague, Representative Wasserman Schultz, for her 
work on the PROTECT Our Children Act as far back as 2008, and I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 4834 reauthorizes the National Strategy for Child 
Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction for an additional 2 years.
  In 2008, Congress passed the PROTECT Our Children Act, which required 
the attorney general to develop and implement a National Strategy for 
Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
  The PROTECT Our Children Act formally authorized the Internet Crimes 
Against Children task forces. These task forces support State and local 
law enforcement agencies in combating online enticement of children and 
the proliferation of online child sexual abuse material.
  Since its inception, nearly 90,000 individuals have been arrested 
because of complaints reviewed by these task forces. They not only put 
the dangerous criminals behind bars, but they also provide outreach to 
communities to spread awareness about and, hopefully, prevent internet 
crimes against kids.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this legislation, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record: ``Houston ICAC Task Force 
Records Nine Arrests for Child Exploitation'' showing that there is 
true evidence that this program works.

                  [From the Texas News, July 7, 2022]

    Houston ICAC Task Force Records 9 Arrests for Child Exploitation

                            (By Amy Gordon)

       During the weeks of June 2022, the Montgomery County 
     District Attorney's Office (MCDAO) Cybercrimes Against 
     Children (ICAC) Division, part of the Houston Metro ICAC Task 
     Force, conducted a multi-day interagency operation targeting 
     individuals who were actively children sought sexual 
     exploitation via the Internet in Montgomery County. Multiple 
     law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation 
     including the Montgomery County Attorney's Office, Federal 
     Bureau of Investigation, Texas Department of Public Safety, 
     Houston Police Department, Conroe Police Department, 
     Montgomery County Pct. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3 and pt. 5 Police 
     Departments, Humble Police Department, Ft. Bend County 
     Sheriff's Office, Missouri City Police Department and the 
     Spring Branch Independent School District Police Department.
       The Houston Metro ICAC Taskforce is part of a national 
     network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 4,500 
     federal, state and local law enforcement agencies dedicated 
     to investigating and prosecuting those who attempt to 
     sexually exploit children via the Internet.
       During this multi-day operation, the Montgomery County 
     District Attorney's Office ICAC section, moderated by 
     Constable Ryan Gable and Montgomery County Constable's Office 
     Precinct 3 deputies, conducted a proactive chat operation in 
     southern Montgomery County. Task Force members also obtained 
     an arrest warrant for Thomas J. Manno of Clarion County, 
     Pennsylvania, and provided local authorities with essential 
     information to execute a search warrant on his home.
       Task Force members contributed to the following arrests 
     during the operation:
       Thomas J. Manno--39--Shippenville, Pennsylvania--Promotion 
     of Child Pornography (F2)
       Robert Clarence Clayton--27--Channelview, Texas--Online Ad 
     by a Minor (F2)
       Isaac Anthony Marino--30--Houston, Texas--Online 
     solicitation by a minor (F2)
       Francisco Xavier Garza--29--Spring, Texas--Online 
     solicitation by a minor F2) // Possibly with intent to 
     supply--Methamphetamine (F1)
       Elijah Charles Lewis--24--Houston, Texas--Online 
     Solicitation by a Minor (F2)
       Ahsan Shah--36--Houston, Texas--Online solicitation by a 
     minor (F2)
       Lawrence Clayton Hopkins--55--Baytown, Texas--Online 
     solicitation by a minor (F2)
       Edward Stewart Geddes--42--Houston, Texas--Online 
     solicitation by a minor (F2) // Evidence tampering (F3)
       Clinton Brian Harvey--44--Dickenson, Texas--Soliciting a 
     Minor Online (F3) // Unlawful Carrying of a Gun (MA)
       The above accused are still under investigation and 
     additional charges may be brought at a later date. All 
     accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
       During the investigation of Lawrence Clayton Hopkins, 
     officers learned that Hopkins may have worked as a youth 
     pastor in Midlothian, College Station and Baytown, Texas 
     prior to his arrest.
       During the investigation of Clinton Brian Harvey, officers 
     learned that Harvey worked as an officer at the Montgomery 
     County Juvenile Detention Center.
       As our children are more exposed to the internet than ever 
     before, the ICAC section of the Montgomery County District 
     Attorney's Office and the Houston Metro ICAC Task Force 
     encourage parents to be diligent in monitoring their 
     children's online activities and raise concerns with law 
     enforcement agencies and the National Center for to report 
     Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Concerned parents and 
     guardians should contact local law enforcement in the event 
     of an emergency by dialing 911. Parents and guardians can 
     also contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or 
     through their website at CyberTipline.org for more 
     information and resources.
       Lt. Michael Atkins, Montgomery County Constable's Office 
     Precinct 3, shared: ``The Internet provides criminals with an 
     often unsupervised avenue to exploit child sacrifice. As 
     parents, we need to carefully monitor our children's online 
     activities and talk to them about the dangers they may face 
     online.''
       Shanna Redwine (MCDAO), Head of Special Victims Division, 
     stated: ``We know the internet can be a dangerous place for 
     children. The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and 
     the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office are 
     committed to making it legally dangerous for adults who seek 
     to harm them. We ask parents and carers to support us in this 
     effort by closely monitoring children and speaking with them 
     about online risks, of which there are many.''

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to this 
legislation passing. Again, I emphasize that anything to protect our 
children is crucial.
  Mr. Speaker, there are thousands of children exploited on the 
internet each and every day. As the global online community continues 
to grow, so do the very real dangers facing our Nation's children.
  I do want to state that Ms. Wasserman Schultz has really developed 
this legislation and worked very hard on it. We have applauded her work 
starting in 2008. This will be a major, if you will, addition and asset 
to fighting the scourge that goes against our innocent children.
  So we have developed a vast and effective program that has continued 
to evolve and improve our fight against online child exploitation. 
Let's continue this program. We cannot allow this program to die. We 
must pass the PROTECT Our Children Act to reauthorize these task forces 
and to allow them to continue their brave and crucial work that keeps 
our children safe.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Wasserman Schultz) who has worked so hard on this legislation since 
2008.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 
bill before the House today because at this very moment, thousands of 
children are waiting to be saved.
  The internet can be a dangerous neighborhood for anyone, but 
especially vulnerable children. The ever-expanding reach of the 
internet has

[[Page H8752]]

fueled an exploding multibillion-dollar market for child pornography.
  Tragically, this market exploits the graphic images that result from 
the horrific sexual assault of more children. The pandemic only 
exacerbated the problem, as our world shifts more online.
  But these are not just heinous online images, they are crime scene 
photos created by a thriving industry that uses children as sexual 
commodities.
  Almost 15 years ago, I introduced the Providing Resources, Officers, 
and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2007. 
With the support of Mr. Jordan at a House Judiciary hearing on that 
bill, we heard from a very brave young woman, Alicia Kozakiewicz. She 
was abducted by an internet predator at just 13, held captive in his 
dungeon basement, and sexually tortured for 4 days.
  The FBI found Alicia because the Virginia Internet Crimes Against 
Children Task Force, or ICAC, had the technology to lift the digital 
fingerprints of this perpetrator's crimes.
  They were able to discover the location where he held her captive, 
chained to the floor, connected to a collar around her neck. Internet 
crimes officers tracked the IP address back to his door, and literally 
rescued her from death.
  I remember her testimony like it was yesterday. It moved many of the 
members of that committee, including myself, to tears.
  In the 20 years since her abduction and torture, Alicia still shares 
her personal nightmare to help protect other young people.
  Over that next year, we learned a lot about these offenders: who they 
are, how they operate, and most important, where they are. We saw 
detailed law enforcement maps that showed the locations of hundreds of 
thousands of sexual predators, 5 percent of whom had actual child 
victims waiting to be rescued.
  It was a truly harrowing environment they described.
  And Congress acted.
  With then-Senator Joe Biden as my Senate partner, we passed 
legislation establishing the National Internet Crimes Against Children 
Task Force Program, or ICAC, a specialized group of law enforcement 
officials dedicated to the protection of children.
  The task forces grew from 42 to 61, and arrests and child rescues 
doubled. They doubled. Literally thousands more predators were 
apprehended and children rescued. An untold number of sexual assaults 
were prevented.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman from Florida.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, the PROTECT Our Children Act, the 
bipartisan legislation that I introduced this week with Senator Cornyn, 
and Representatives Chabot, Kuster, and Reschenthaler reauthorizes the 
National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, the 
national network of coordinated law enforcement task forces 
investigating and prosecuting those who sexually exploit our most 
vulnerable constituents--our children.
  According to estimates, half of the arrests made by ICAC teams led us 
to the door of a hands-on offender, and thus, a child waiting to be 
rescued.
  We must make the protection of these children the focus of all of our 
efforts. Please think about these precious children being victimized. 
If you are a parent, God forbid, it was your own child.
  Let's give these ICAC teams the resources they need to rescue as many 
as possible.
  An impressive and deeply troubling investigation by The New York 
Times described the forces arrayed against these ICAC teams as an 
``insatiable criminal underworld,'' and one in which tech companies are 
not always able or totally willing to confront.

                              {time}  1600

  But if we empower these ICACs with today's reauthorization, thousands 
more innocent children will be protected from these unspeakable crimes. 
We owe them that.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their indulgence.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support S. 4834, 
PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4834, the ``PROTECT Our Children 
Act of 2022,'' a critical piece of bipartisan legislation that would 
reauthorize the Internet Crimes Against Children task force program, or 
``ICAC,'' which has worked tirelessly for 14 years to protect our 
children from online predators.
  It is no exaggeration to say the internet is today one of the most 
dangerous places for our nation's children, many of whom spend hours 
each day online. Predators use social media and other online resources 
to groom and entice children to commit sexual acts. The internet makes 
it easy for sex and labor traffickers to gain clandestine access to 
children and teens, recruit them into their organizations, and exploit 
them.
  The internet is also the primary vehicle for distributing child sex 
abuse material and committing criminal acts of sextortion against 
minors. It also provides an open forum for cyberbullying and online 
harassment, which can lead victims of such conduct to withdraw, become 
depressed, and even commit suicide.
  To combat these monstrous crimes and protect our youth from 
exploitation, ICAC task forces work with federal, state, and local law 
enforcement to develop an effective, holistic response to cybercrimes 
against children. Their programs include forensic and investigative 
components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and 
community education.
  The ICAC network is made up of 61 separate task forces--three of 
which are in my home state of Texas. These ICAC task forces were 
created and authorized by the original PROTECT Our Children Act of 
2008, which expired this past September, at the end of the fiscal year.
  Yet online threats to children, and the need for ICAC's tasks forces, 
are only growing. Between 2008 and 2021, the number of ICAC arrests 
rose from 2,500 to more than 10,000 each year. ICAC's work resulted in 
more than 137,000 investigations and 90,300 forensic exams in 2021 
alone.
  Earlier this year, the Southern Texas ICAC task force received 
significant funding--its first--authorized by the PROTECT Our Children 
Act, allowing it to provide substantial investigative, prosecutorial, 
and victim-centered services, and to utilize tips from the national 
ICAC database, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children, to identify and rescue child victims.
  But the work of the task force, and that of the other ICAC task 
forces nationwide, will not be able to continue unless we fund this 
critical law enforcement initiative. It is, therefore, essential that 
we reauthorize the ICAC program by passing the bipartisan PROTECT Our 
Children Act of 2022.
  The Act would extend funding for ICAC task forces and programs 
through 2024. Without this crucial legislation, our children will 
remain vulnerable to those who seek to exploit and hurt them in the 
most horrific of ways, with the ease and anonymity the internet 
provides.
  I commend my colleague, Representative Wasserman Shultz, for her work 
on the PROTECT Our Children Act, and I urge my colleagues to support 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 4834.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. MOORE of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________