S. 1333

119 S1333 ES: Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act
 U.S. Senate
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 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 1333  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES  AN ACT
To amend title 18, United States Code, to modify provisions relating to kidnapping, sexual abuse, and illicit sexual conduct with respect to minors.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act  .
2.
Kidnapping; sexual abuse; illicit sexual conduct with respect to minors
(a)
In general
Part I of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in section 1201—
(A)
in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting  obtains by defrauding or deceiving any person,  after  abducts, ;
(B)
in subsection (b), by inserting  obtained by defrauding or deceiving any person,  after  abducted, ; and
(C)
in subsection (g), by adding at the end the following:
(2)
Defense
For an offense described in this subsection involving a victim who has not attained the age of 16 years, it is not a defense that the victim consented to the conduct of the offender, unless the offender can establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the offender reasonably believed that the victim had attained the age of 16 years.
 ;
(2)
in chapter 109A—
(A)
in section 2241(c), by striking  crosses a State line  and inserting  travels in interstate or foreign commerce ;
(B)
in section 2242(3), by striking  , to include doing so  and inserting  or ;
(C)
in section 2243, by adding at the end the following:
(f)
Intentional touching involving individuals under the age of 16
(1)
Offense
It shall be unlawful, in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the head of any Federal department or agency, to knowingly cause the intentional touching, not through the clothing, of the genitalia of any person by a person who has not attained the age of 16 years, with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, or attempt to do so, if to do so would violate subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section, section 2241, or section 2242 had such intentional touching been a sexual act.
(2)
Penalty
Any person who violates paragraph (1) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned as provided in the applicable provision of law described in that paragraph, or both.
 ; and
(D)
in section 2244—
(i)
in subsection (a)—
(I)
by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as subparagraphs (A) through (F), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly;
(II)
by striking  Whoever  and inserting the following:
(1)
In general
Whoever
 ;
(III)
in paragraph (1), as so designated—
(aa)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking  if so to do  and inserting  if to do so ;
(bb)
in subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking  ten  and inserting  10 ;
(cc)
in subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, by striking  three  and inserting  3 ;
(dd)
in subparagraph (C), as so redesignated, by striking  two  and inserting  2 ;
(ee)
in subparagraph (D), as so redesignated, by striking  two  and inserting  2 ; and
(ff)
in subparagraph (F), as so redesignated, by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting a period; and
(IV)
by adding at the end the following:
(2)
Attempt
Whoever attempts to commit an offense under paragraph (1) shall be subject to the same penalty as for a completed offense.
 ;
(ii)
in subsection (b)—
(I)
by inserting  or causes  after  engages in ;
(II)
by inserting  or by  after  sexual contact with ;
(III)
by inserting  , or attempts to do so,  after  other person’s permission ; and
(IV)
by striking  two  and inserting  2 ; and
(iii)
in subsection (c), by striking  If the sexual contact that violates this section (other than subsection (a)(5)) is with an individual  and inserting  If the sexual contact or attempted sexual contact that a person engages in or causes in violation of this section (other than subsection (a)(1)(E)) is with or by an individual ; and
(3)
in section 2423(g)(1)—
(A)
by striking  a sexual act (as defined in section 2246) with  and inserting  any conduct involving ; and
(B)
by striking  sexual act occurred  and inserting  conduct occurred .
(b)
Effective date
The amendment to section 2241(c) of title 18, United States Code, made by subsection (a) shall apply to conduct that occurred before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act.
3.
Conforming amendments relating to abusive sexual contact
(a)
Penalties for civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct
Section 250(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (2), by striking  section 2244(a)(5),  and inserting  section 2244(a)(1)(E), or an attempt to engage in or cause such contact as prohibited by section 2244(a)(2), ;
(2)
in paragraph (4), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking  subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 2244, but excluding abusive sexual contact through the clothing  and inserting  section 2244(a)(1)(A), an attempt to engage in or cause such contact as prohibited by section 2244(a)(2), or abusive sexual contact of the type prohibited by section 2244(b), but excluding abusive sexual contact through the clothing or an attempt to engage in or cause such contact ;
(3)
in paragraph (5), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking  section 2244(a)(2)  and inserting  section 2244(a)(1)(B) or an attempt to engage in or cause such contact as prohibited by section 2244(a)(2) ; and
(4)
in paragraph (6), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking  subsection (a)(3), (a)(4), or (b) of section 2244  and inserting  subparagraph (C) or (D) of section 2244(a)(1), an attempt to engage in or cause such contact as prohibited by section 2244(a)(2), or abusive sexual contact of the type prohibited by section 2244(b) .
(b)
Sentencing classification of offenses
Section 3559 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (c)(2)(F)(i), by striking  sections 2244(a)(1) and (a)(2)  and inserting  subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 2244(a)(1) ; and
(2)
in subsection (e)(2)(A), by striking  2244(a)(1)  and inserting  2244(a)(1)(A) .
    Passed the Senate September 29, 2025.    Secretary