Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H1644-H1647]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

TOOLS TO ADDRESS KNOWN EXPLOITATION BY IMMOBILIZING TECHNOLOGICAL
DEEPFAKES ON WEBSITES AND NETWORKS ACT

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 146) to require covered platforms to remove nonconsensual
intimate visual depictions, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

S. 146

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 ``Tools to Address Known
Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on
Websites and Networks Act'' or the ``TAKE IT DOWN Act''.

SEC. 2. CRIMINAL PROHIBITION ON INTENTIONAL DISCLOSURE OF
NONCONSENSUAL INTIMATE VISUAL DEPICTIONS.

(a) In General.--Section 223 of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 223) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
``(h) Intentional Disclosure of Nonconsensual Intimate
Visual Depictions.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Consent.--The term `consent' means an affirmative,
conscious, and voluntary authorization made by an individual
free from force, fraud, duress, misrepresentation, or
coercion.
``(B) Digital forgery.--The term `digital forgery' means
any intimate visual depiction of an identifiable individual
created through the use of software, machine learning,
artificial intelligence, or any other computer-generated or
technological means, including by adapting, modifying,
manipulating, or altering an authentic visual depiction,
that, when viewed as a whole by a reasonable person, is
indistinguishable from an authentic visual depiction of the
individual.
``(C) Identifiable individual.--The term `identifiable
individual' means an individual--
``(i) who appears in whole or in part in an intimate visual
depiction; and
``(ii) whose face, likeness, or other distinguishing
characteristic (including a unique birthmark or other
recognizable feature) is displayed in connection with such
intimate visual depiction.
``(D) Interactive computer service.--The term `interactive
computer service' has the meaning given the term in section
230.
``(E) Intimate visual depiction.--The term `intimate visual
depiction' has the meaning given such term in section 1309 of
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (15 U.S.C. 6851).
``(F) Minor.--The term `minor' means any individual under
the age of 18 years.
``(2) Offense involving authentic intimate visual
depictions.--
``(A) Involving adults.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(C), it shall be unlawful for any person, in interstate or
foreign commerce, to use an interactive computer service to
knowingly publish an intimate visual depiction of an
identifiable individual who is not a minor if--
``(i) the intimate visual depiction was obtained or created
under circumstances in which the person knew or reasonably
should have known the identifiable individual had a
reasonable expectation of privacy;
``(ii) what is depicted was not voluntarily exposed by the
identifiable individual in a public or commercial setting;
``(iii) what is depicted is not a matter of public concern;
and
``(iv) publication of the intimate visual depiction--

``(I) is intended to cause harm; or
``(II) causes harm, including psychological, financial, or
reputational harm, to the identifiable individual.

``(B) Involving minors.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(C), it shall be unlawful for any person, in interstate or
foreign commerce, to use an interactive computer service to
knowingly publish an intimate visual depiction of an
identifiable individual who is a minor with intent to--
``(i) abuse, humiliate, harass, or degrade the minor; or
``(ii) arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
``(C) Exceptions.--Subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall not
apply to--
``(i) a lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or
intelligence activity of--

``(I) a law enforcement agency of the United States, a
State, or a political subdivision of a State; or
``(II) an intelligence agency of the United States;

``(ii) a disclosure made reasonably and in good faith--

``(I) to a law enforcement officer or agency;
``(II) as part of a document production or filing
associated with a legal proceeding;
``(III) as part of medical education, diagnosis, or
treatment or for a legitimate medical, scientific, or
education purpose;
``(IV) in the reporting of unlawful content or unsolicited
or unwelcome conduct or in pursuance of a legal,
professional, or other lawful obligation; or
``(V) to seek support or help with respect to the receipt
of an unsolicited intimate visual depiction;

``(iii) a disclosure reasonably intended to assist the
identifiable individual;
``(iv) a person who possesses or publishes an intimate
visual depiction of himself or herself engaged in nudity or
sexually explicit conduct (as that term is defined in section
2256(2)(A) of title 18, United States Code); or
``(v) the publication of an intimate visual depiction that
constitutes--

``(I) child pornography (as that term is defined in section
2256 of title 18, United States Code); or
``(II) a visual depiction described in subsection (a) or
(b) of section 1466A of title 18, United States Code
(relating to obscene visual representations of the sexual
abuse of children).

``(3) Offense involving digital forgeries.--
``(A) Involving adults.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(C), it shall be unlawful for any person, in interstate or
foreign commerce, to use an interactive computer service to
knowingly publish a digital forgery of an identifiable
individual who is not a minor if--
``(i) the digital forgery was published without the consent
of the identifiable individual;
``(ii) what is depicted was not voluntarily exposed by the
identifiable individual in a public or commercial setting;
``(iii) what is depicted is not a matter of public concern;
and
``(iv) publication of the digital forgery--

``(I) is intended to cause harm; or
``(II) causes harm, including psychological, financial, or
reputational harm, to the identifiable individual.

``(B) Involving minors.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(C), it shall be unlawful for any person, in interstate or
foreign commerce, to use an interactive computer service to
knowingly publish a digital forgery of an identifiable
individual who is a minor with intent to--
``(i) abuse, humiliate, harass, or degrade the minor; or
``(ii) arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
``(C) Exceptions.--Subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall not
apply to--
``(i) a lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or
intelligence activity of--

``(I) a law enforcement agency of the United States, a
State, or a political subdivision of a State; or
``(II) an intelligence agency of the United States;

``(ii) a disclosure made reasonably and in good faith--

``(iii) a disclosure reasonably intended to assist the
identifiable individual;
``(iv) a person who possesses or publishes a digital
forgery of himself or herself engaged in nudity or sexually
explicit conduct (as that term is defined in section
2256(2)(A) of title 18, United States Code); or
``(v) the publication of an intimate visual depiction that
constitutes--

``(4) Penalties.--
``(A) Offenses involving adults.--Any person who violates
paragraph (2)(A) or (3)(A) shall be fined under title 18,
United States Code, imprisoned not more than 2 years, or
both.
``(B) Offenses involving minors.--Any person who violates
paragraph (2)(B) or (3)(B) shall be fined under title 18,
United States Code, imprisoned not more than 3 years, or
both.
``(5) Rules of construction.--For purposes of paragraphs
(2) and (3)--
``(A) the fact that the identifiable individual provided
consent for the creation of the intimate visual depiction
shall not establish that the individual provided consent for
the publication of the intimate visual depiction; and
``(B) the fact that the identifiable individual disclosed
the intimate visual depiction to another individual shall not
establish that the identifiable individual provided consent
for the publication of the intimate visual depiction by the
person alleged to have violated paragraph (2) or (3),
respectively.
``(6) Threats.--
``(A) Threats involving authentic intimate visual
depictions.--Any person who intentionally threatens to commit
an offense under paragraph (2) for the purpose of
intimidation, coercion, extortion, or to create mental
distress shall be punished as provided in paragraph (4).
``(B) Threats involving digital forgeries.--
``(i) Threats involving adults.--Any person who
intentionally threatens to commit

[[Page H1645]]

an offense under paragraph (3)(A) for the purpose of
intimidation, coercion, extortion, or to create mental
distress shall be fined under title 18, United States Code,
imprisoned not more than 18 months, or both.
``(ii) Threats involving minors.--Any person who
intentionally threatens to commit an offense under paragraph
(3)(B) for the purpose of intimidation, coercion, extortion,
or to create mental distress shall be fined under title 18,
United States Code, imprisoned not more than 30 months, or
both.
``(7) Forfeiture.--
``(A) In general.--The court, in imposing a sentence on any
person convicted of a violation of paragraph (2) or (3),
shall order, in addition to any other sentence imposed and
irrespective of any provision of State law, that the person
forfeit to the United States--
``(i) any material distributed in violation of that
paragraph;
``(ii) the person's interest in property, real or personal,
constituting or derived from any gross proceeds of the
violation, or any property traceable to such property,
obtained or retained directly or indirectly as a result of
the violation; and
``(iii) any personal property of the person used, or
intended to be used, in any manner or part, to commit or to
facilitate the commission of the violation.
``(B) Procedures.--Section 413 of the Controlled Substances
Act (21 U.S.C. 853), with the exception of subsections (a)
and (d), shall apply to the criminal forfeiture of property
under subparagraph (A).
``(8) Restitution.--The court shall order restitution for
an offense under paragraph (2) or (3) in the same manner as
under section 2264 of title 18, United States Code.
``(9) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to limit the application of any other
relevant law, including section 2252 of title 18, United
States Code.''.
(b) Defenses.--Section 223(e)(1) of the Communications Act
of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 223(e)(1)) is amended by striking ``or
(d)'' and inserting ``, (d), or (h)''.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (i) of
section 223 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
223), as so redesignated by subsection (a), is amended by
inserting ``Definitions.--'' before ``For purposes of this
section''.

SEC. 3. NOTICE AND REMOVAL OF NONCONSENSUAL INTIMATE VISUAL
DEPICTIONS.

(a) In General.--
(1) Notice and removal process.--
(A) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, a covered platform shall establish a
process whereby an identifiable individual (or an authorized
person acting on behalf of such individual) may--
(i) notify the covered platform of an intimate visual
depiction published on the covered platform that--

(I) includes a depiction of the identifiable individual;
and
(II) was published without the consent of the identifiable
individual; and

(ii) submit a request for the covered platform to remove
such intimate visual depiction.
(B) Requirements.--A notification and request for removal
of an intimate visual depiction submitted under the process
established under subparagraph (A) shall include, in
writing--
(i) a physical or electronic signature of the identifiable
individual (or an authorized person acting on behalf of such
individual);
(ii) an identification of, and information reasonably
sufficient for the covered platform to locate, the intimate
visual depiction of the identifiable individual;
(iii) a brief statement that the identifiable individual
has a good faith belief that any intimate visual depiction
identified under clause (ii) is not consensual, including any
relevant information for the covered platform to determine
the intimate visual depiction was published without the
consent of the identifiable individual; and
(iv) information sufficient to enable the covered platform
to contact the identifiable individual (or an authorized
person acting on behalf of such individual).
(2) Notice of process.--A covered platform shall provide on
the platform a clear and conspicuous notice, which may be
provided through a clear and conspicuous link to another web
page or disclosure, of the notice and removal process
established under paragraph (1)(A) that--
(A) is easy to read and in plain language; and
(B) provides information regarding the responsibilities of
the covered platform under this section, including a
description of how an individual can submit a notification
and request for removal.
(3) Removal of nonconsensual intimate visual depictions.--
Upon receiving a valid removal request from an identifiable
individual (or an authorized person acting on behalf of such
individual) using the process described in paragraph
(1)(A)(ii), a covered platform shall, as soon as possible,
but not later than 48 hours after receiving such request--
(A) remove the intimate visual depiction; and
(B) make reasonable efforts to identify and remove any
known identical copies of such depiction.
(4) Limitation on liability.--A covered platform shall not
be liable for any claim based on the covered platform's good
faith disabling of access to, or removal of, material claimed
to be a nonconsensual intimate visual depiction based on
facts or circumstances from which the unlawful publishing of
an intimate visual depiction is apparent, regardless of
whether the intimate visual depiction is ultimately
determined to be unlawful or not.
(b) Enforcement by the Commission.--
(1) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A failure to
reasonably comply with the notice and takedown obligations
under subsection (a) shall be treated as a violation of a
rule defining an unfair or a deceptive act or practice under
section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15
U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).
(2) Powers of the commission.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (D),
the Commission shall enforce this section in the same manner,
by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers,
and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of
the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were
incorporated into and made a part of this section.
(B) Privileges and immunities.--Any person who violates
this section shall be subject to the penalties and entitled
to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal
Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.).
(C) Authority preserved.--Nothing in this Act shall be
construed to limit the authority of the Federal Trade
Commission under any other provision of law.
(D) Scope of jurisdiction.--Notwithstanding sections 4,
5(a)(2), or 6 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C.
44, 45(a)(2), 46), or any jurisdictional limitation of the
Commission, the Commission shall also enforce this section in
the same manner provided in subparagraph (A), with respect to
organizations that are not organized to carry on business for
their own profit or that of their members.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Trade Commission.
(2) Consent; digital forgery; identifiable individual;
intimate visual depiction.--The terms ``consent'', ``digital
forgery'', ``identifiable individual'', ``intimate visual
depiction'', and ``minor'' have the meaning given such terms
in section 223(h) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 223), as added by section 2.
(3) Covered platform.--
(A) In general.--The term ``covered platform'' means a
website, online service, online application, or mobile
application--
(i) that serves the public; and
(ii)(I) that primarily provides a forum for user-generated
content, including messages, videos, images, games, and audio
files; or
(II) for which it is in the regular course of trade or
business of the website, online service, online application,
or mobile application to publish, curate, host, or make
available content of nonconsensual intimate visual
depictions.
(B) Exclusions.--The term ``covered platform'' shall not
include the following:
(i) A provider of broadband internet access service (as
described in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations, or successor regulation).
(ii) Electronic mail.
(iii) Except as provided in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II), an
online service, application, or website--

(I) that consists primarily of content that is not user
generated but is preselected by the provider of such online
service, application, or website; and
(II) for which any chat, comment, or interactive
functionality is incidental to, directly related to, or
dependent on the provision of the content described in
subclause (I).

SEC. 5. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this Act, or an amendment made by this
Act, is determined to be unenforceable or invalid, the
remaining provisions of this Act and the amendments made by
this Act shall not be affected.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.

General Leave

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in strong support of S. 146, the TAKE IT DOWN Act by
Senator Ted Cruz. The bill addresses a serious gap in our current law,
a loophole that came to light in my own district.
I had a meeting on this particular issue with the sheriff in Pasco
County, Florida, Sheriff Nocco, and then I also talked to Senator Cruz
about one of his constituents. This is how we get things done. The best
ideas come from the people, and this is very necessary.

[[Page H1646]]

A teacher in my district used AI to create explicit content of his
students incorporating real images of his students taken from a
yearbook. Under current law, only the use of the actual photos is
illegal, the AI-generated, sexually explicit content is not.
Because of this gap, law enforcement was unable to fully charge this
particular individual, this sick individual, in my opinion, for the
scope of the images in his possession. Had this bill been in effect,
his actions would have been criminalized in full.
As technology evolves, so must our laws. We need to keep pace, there
is no question. We must. We must continue working hand in hand with our
law enforcement partners to stay ahead of these emerging threats and
safeguard our most vulnerable.
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of S. 146. The
House sponsor is the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Salazar). She is a
great friend of mine. Let's get this done. We need to be protecting our
children.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise to speak in support of S. 146, the TAKE IT DOWN Act. The
legislation addresses the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images
online, one of the most significant harms proliferating on the internet
in recent years.
Advances in generative artificial intelligence and other photo
manipulation software have enabled the creation of digital forgeries
that place victims in sexually explicit situations that never actually
occurred but can still cause massive reputational and financial damage
to those who were targeted.
Some of the platforms hosting actual and computer-generated
nonconsensual intimate images have promised to address such abuses
online and protect their users but, nevertheless, victims report great
difficulty in getting such images removed from the internet. They tell
us they feel powerless as it spreads or even resurfaces years later.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act will require social media and other online
public platforms to provide a mechanism for people to notify the
platform of nonconsensual intimate images in which they are depicted.
It also requires the platforms to take reasonable steps to remove the
images from their platforms within 48 hours.
I thank Representatives Dean and Dingell for their leadership on this
issue, and I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan
legislation. I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Salazar), the House sponsor of this
particular bill, who is my good friend and a very effective Member of
Congress.
Ms. SALAZAR. Mr. Speaker, every generation of Congress faces moments
that test our commitment to justice, and today is one of those moments.
I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on S. 146, the
TAKE IT DOWN Act. The Senate has already done its job. They passed this
legislation unanimously. Now, it is our turn in the House of
Representatives. This is our moment to stand up to protect our children
and make this the law of the land.
The name of the legislation is the TAKE IT DOWN Act. The mission of
this bill is simple, profound, and long lasting. It stops cyber abuse.
It prevents the bullying of one child against another and, even more
importantly, prevents suicide born out of shame.
It is outrageously sick to use images--the face, the voice, the
likeness--of a young vulnerable female to manipulate them, to extort
them, and to humiliate them publicly just for fun, just for revenge.
That is why we created this bill, to stop the abuse spreading like
wildfire right now on social media.
It is widely known that 99 percent of the time, the victims, most of
them girls, don't even know their faces, their bodies, their intimate
parts are being circulated around the internet in fake, compromising
pornographic images. Unfortunately, in life, perception is reality.
Even though the images are fake, the consequences are very, very real.
Even though, as I said, the images do not belong to them, those girls
are paying for them dearly with shame, humiliation, and the unbearable
suffering when you are 14, 15 years old. Up until now, there was no
recourse. Just imagine waking up one morning to find yourself trapped
in a nightmare that you never created. This is exactly what is
happening to our children, and this is why we must act.

{time} 1515

Mr. Speaker, the bill called the TAKE IT DOWN Act finally sends a
very loud and clear message to Big Tech. If you, Big Tech, do not
remove these fake images within 48 hours, you are as guilty and as
responsible as the predators who created them.
I am talking to Snapchat, to Instagram, and to TikTok. All of them
will have to comply within 48 hours when a victim calls and demands and
tells you that you have to remove those images. There are no more
excuses. You, Big Tech, have to take it down.
Let's talk to the bullies, to the predators, to the perverts who are
hiding behind a computer, the ones who created this fake material. If
you dare to do this again to another innocent child, most of them
girls, you are going to prison. You will be in jail for a long time.
Don't do it, and don't dare to do it anymore. Prison is a great place
where you can sit and ponder what you have done to another human being.
Today, we take away the power from the aggressors and the
accomplices, and we give it back to the victims and their families. Up
until now, the parents of the victims found that the schools couldn't
do anything. The police couldn't do anything. Big Tech would not even
pay attention to them but no more. Now they can because we are passing
this law.
What a great honor it is for me to be part of this initiative, one
that the First Lady has personally championed. The President of the
United States endorsed this legislation during the recent state of the
Union that he conducted in front of Congress. The President explained
this as a vital step to defend our sons and daughters against online
predators.
My fellow colleagues, this is not about politics. This is about basic
human dignity. This is about protecting children who are the most
vulnerable among us. As I just mentioned, the Commander in Chief called
on us to act on this law in this very Chamber a few weeks ago.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the House of Representatives to vote ``yes'' on
the TAKE IT DOWN Act. Let's make history today. Let's protect our
children. Let's just take it down.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).
Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bilirakis and
Ranking Member Pallone for bringing this bill forward.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the TAKE IT DOWN Act. Senate bill
146 was my bill, and it is still my bill. I thank Congresswoman Salazar
for her leadership on this. I thank Congresswoman Dingell for her
longtime leadership on this and for leading this effort with me on the
House side. I thank Senators Cruz and Klobuchar for their strong
leadership on this.
As we speak, the internet is awash with real and fake nonconsensual
intimate imagery. Mr. Speaker, the consequences, as you just heard, are
devastating for every victim, their family, and their community. It
happens to men and boys, to women and girls. Most often, it happens to
women and girls.
As AI becomes more prevalent in our everyday lives, Congress must
meet this moment. We must empower and protect victims from bad actors
who share their intimate images, real or fake, without consent and from
the most harmful developments of AI.
During the 2023-2024 school year, 15 percent of high school students
reported hearing about deepfakes of nonconsensual intimate images that
depicted kids at their schools. It happened to one of my hometown
constituents, a 20-year-old, bright college student named Jack
Sullivan. He was sextorted by two men claiming to be a woman on
Instagram. They threatened Jack. They told him they would post intimate
images of him unless he paid huge sums of money. He paid and he paid.
When he could no longer pay their demands, Jack took his own life. We
must do better for Jack and every other victim of these crimes.

[[Page H1647]]

As a former educator, and a mother, and as a grandmother, this
sickens me. As an elected official, I am moved to protect our children.
Congress must create guardrails to protect Americans' privacy and
dignity at a time when online exploitation is easier than ever.
That is what our bill does. The TAKE IT DOWN Act criminalizes the
publication of real or fake AI-generated intimate images. It requires
websites to react, to respond, and to remove these horrifying images
and videos within 48 hours of a victim's report. I suggest they act
even faster. Finally, we will hold online platforms and social media
companies accountable. This cannot wait.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have bipartisan support for this bill. I
thank Representative Salazar and Senators Cruz and Klobuchar. I thank
the First Lady and the President for their leadership on this. I
implore all of my colleagues to join us in supporting this important
bill.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), the great chairman of the
Committee on Energy and Commerce and a good friend of mine who is doing
an outstanding job, in my opinion.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 146, the TAKE
IT DOWN Act. I echo the sentiments of Representative Dean and my friend
Representative Salazar. I appreciate the comments that they just made.
I thank Congresswoman Dingell and Senator Cruz for their determination
in combating this crisis of malicious, deepfake pornography.
Last month, I joined a bipartisan group convened by the First Lady.
We heard from young survivors and their parents who were targeted by
those abhorrent practices. I thank the First Lady for her leadership
and for shining a light on this dark and destructive crisis.
I am sad to say that this issue struck close to home with the
heartbreaking death of my constituent, 16-year-old Elijah Heacock. He
tragically fell victim to an online extortion scheme, showing my
community the dangers of predators targeting our kids online.
I sat with his mom, his dad, and his brother just this last week. We
talked about the tragedy that happened in his life and their
determination to see that we move forward in this Congress, not only on
this bill but others to make sure that it doesn't happen to other
families like theirs. We are all praying for that dear family.

Mr. Speaker, the heart-wrenching stories we have heard tell us all we
need to know. It is time to send the TAKE IT DOWN Act to the
President's desk so we can give survivors and law enforcement the tools
they need to combat this crisis. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor
of this legislation.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Mrs. Dingell), a member of our committee.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Guthrie. I thank Ranking
Member, Frank Pallone, who often puts up with my intensity on this
subject. I also thank Chairman Bilirakis and my co-leads,
Representatives Salazar, Dean, and Pfluger, as well as Senator Cruz and
Senator Klobuchar, my compatriot many days, who works to prioritize
violence against women.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a strong and unwavering advocate for
women, children, and survivors of abuse and in support of a bill that I
helped lead, S. 146, the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
The rise of deepfake pornography and nonconsensual intimate images is
a growing crisis that demands urgent action now. We need to work
together to protect women and children from these evolving threats. New
generative artificial intelligence tools are being weaponized to
humiliate, silence, and terrorize women and children.
We have seen it used against children as young as middle school as a
tool to create revenge porn. We have seen it used against women in
public life, on both sides of the aisle, including our own colleagues.
None of my colleagues think this is acceptable, and it is a crisis
that demands immediate action. We have a responsibility to act now and
not tomorrow, not next year, not after more damage is done. The TAKE IT
DOWN Act gives victims a clear, fast pathway to have these images
removed from online platforms, hold perpetrators accountable, and
ensure that tech companies do their part. They have responsibility.
This is just one piece of a broader fight. It is one I have been in
for years, and I will not stop fighting. We will end violence against
women, address coercive control, and stop the misuse of technology to
harm survivors.
Let me be clear. This bill should already be law. It passed the
Senate unanimously. It was included in Congress' year-end package last
year until it was stripped out at the end. I won't get political on
that because I want everybody to vote on it right now. It should never
have happened.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
Let's get this across the finish line and deliver for the women and
children who are counting on us.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous support for this
legislation. Once again, this is another very important bill as part of
this consumer protection agenda today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the President of the United States for shedding
light on this particular bill at the state of the Union. I thank our
great First Lady as well for her support on this particular bill.
I thank Representatives Dean and Dingell, and, of course,
Representative Salazar who was also the main sponsor of the bill in the
House. I thank Senator Cruz who worked so very hard to get this done.
This is a bipartisan accomplishment, and we will protect our kids if
we pass this particular bill. It will go to the President once we pass
this bill. Let's get it done. Let's pass it unanimously.
Mr. Speaker, again, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 146.
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. BILIRAKIS. 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.

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