Congress·Reported·S. 539

PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025

Senate Committee Advances PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act, Expanding ICAC Task Force Powers

May 20, 2025·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

Part of: Congress Advances PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act

This bill is one vehicle in a longer effort. See the full story across every version.View effort →

StalledNext up: The SenateNo action in 14 months

The Senate must act next: a Senate floor vote.

Legislative Progress

Senate

No action since May 2025

House

President

Law

How we got here

This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.

Reintroduced
Reintroduced from S. 5060 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
S. 5060 (118th) →

Key Points

Keeps a national plan to fight online child exploitation, but changes the plan update schedule from every 2 years to every 4 years.
Expands the role of Internet Crimes Against Children task forces to focus more on identifying child victims, not just investigating cases.
Gives these task forces more freedom to choose which leads to work first, and limits lawsuits or charges over those priority decisions (unless there’s serious wrongdoing).
Makes the Justice Department report more details on results like arrests, prosecutions, and how many child victims were identified.
Authorizes $70 million in 2026, $80 million in 2027, and $90 million in 2028 to support this work, including training and tech tools.

Criminal JusticeTechnologyCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Negative Impacts(1)

Criminal Record

Hurts

Mixed Impacts(3)

Military Active

Neutral

Tribal Member

Neutral

Federal Employee

Neutral

Positive Impacts(2)

Child Tax Credit

Helps

Student

Helps

Milestones

4 milestones5 actions

May 20, 2025Senate

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 80.

The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.

May 20, 2025Senate

Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

May 15, 2025Senate

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Feb 12, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Feb 12, 2025

Introduced in Senate

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Related News

1 article

KCLY Radio·Dec 19, 2025

Three Public Safety Bills Passed by Congress, Await Presidential Signature

Congress has approved the PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025 as part of the NDAA. The legislation strengthens the ICAC Task Force Program, increases authorized funding, and updates the national strategy to prevent child exploitation.

Center

No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.