[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6719 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 346
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6719
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 13, 2026
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
March 2, 2026
Reported by Mr. Grassley, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To prohibit threats to a minor, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Online Predators
Act'' or the ``COP Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. PROHIBITING THREATS TO A MINOR.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of
Minors.--Section 2252A of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (6), by striking
``illegal; or'' and inserting ``illegal;'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (7), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) by inserting after paragraph (7) the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(8) knowingly distributes, offers, sends, or
provides, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a
threat to distribute--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) a visual depiction of a minor
engaging in sexually explicit conduct, or</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) a visual depiction of a person the
defendant believes is a minor engaging in sexually
explicit conduct,</DELETED>
<DELETED>with the intent that the minor, or the person the
defendant believes is a minor, create or transmit a visual
depiction of any minor engaging in sexually explicit
conduct,''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``or (6)'' and
inserting ``(6), or (8)''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Material Constituting or Containing Child
Pornography.--Section 2252 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by striking
``or'' at the end;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (4)(B)(ii), by inserting
``or'' after the semicolon; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) by inserting after paragraph (4) the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) knowingly distributes, offers, sends, or
provides, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a
threat to distribute--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) a visual depiction of a minor
engaging in sexually explicit conduct, or</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) a visual depiction of a person the
defendant believes is a minor engaging in sexually
explicit conduct,</DELETED>
<DELETED>with the intent that the minor, or the person the
defendant believes is a minor, create or transmit a visual
depiction of sexually explicit conduct,'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting ``or (5)''
after ``paragraph (4)''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding
paragraph (1), by inserting ``or (5)'' after ``paragraph
(4)''.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``James T. Woods Act''.
TITLE I--SAFE ACT
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Sentencing Accountability For
Exploitation Act'' or the ``SAFE Act''.
SEC. 102. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Over many years, the complexity and scale of online
child sex offenses have worsened, as offenders have taken
advantage of technological developments to target and victimize
ever-increasing numbers of children.
(2) In addition, offenders have pursued increasingly
dangerous ways of victimizing children, including by resorting
to organized efforts at extorting and manipulating children
into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and other types of
degrading and dangerous acts.
(3) Offenders have also been increasingly adept at
globalizing their offenses, including by, for example, paying
adults overseas to provide customized child sexual abuse
material, which may be video recorded or live-streamed, to
offenders in the United States.
(4) Meanwhile, as the complexity, scale, and dangerousness
of online child sex crimes has worsened, long-existing sex
crimes against children continue to flourish on the dark web,
through social media and related applications, and otherwise.
(5) Effective investigation and prosecution are a critical
component of the efforts of the United States to keep children
safe, punish those who victimize them, and deter would-be
offenders. It is imperative that the Federal sentencing
guidelines account for these interests and ensure that
offenders face advisory sentencing ranges that appropriately
account for the scale, complexity, and dangerousness of these
offenses.
SEC. 103. AMENDMENT OF FEDERAL SENTENCING GUIDELINE RELATING TO CHILD
SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Child.--The term ``child'' means an individual who has
not attained 18 years of age.
(2) Child sexual abuse material.--The term ``child sexual
abuse material'' has the meaning given the term ``child
pornography'' in section 2256(8) of title 18, United States
Code.
(3) Prohibited conduct against a child.--The term
``prohibited conduct against a child''--
(A) means--
(i) conduct committed against a child
relating to--
(I) kidnapping;
(II) illegal sexual abuse, contact,
or activity;
(III) live streaming of child
sexual abuse;
(IV) using a child to produce child
sexual abuse material; or
(V) sexual exploitation, including
child sex trafficking; or
(ii) an attempt or conspiracy to engage in
any conduct described in subclauses (I) through
(V) of clause (i);
(B) does not include--
(i) conduct involving or similar to
advertising, transporting, mailing,
distributing, receiving, possession, accessing,
or viewing child sexual abuse material; or
(ii) acquitted conduct, to the extent that
such conduct is excluded from the scope of
relevant conduct under section 1B1.3(c) of the
United States Sentencing Guidelines Manual; and
(C) does not require a conviction.
(b) Directive.--Pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of
title 28, United States Code, the United States Sentencing Commission
shall review and amend the Federal sentencing guidelines and policy
statements applicable to persons convicted of an offense under section
1466A, 2251(d)(1)(A), 2252, 2252A, or 2260(b) of title 18, United
States Code, in order to reflect the intent of Congress that penalties
for the offense under the guidelines and policy statements--
(1) appropriately account for--
(A) the actual and potential harm to victims and to
the public from the offense; and
(B) changes that have occurred since the relevant
guidelines and policy statements were last amended with
respect to--
(i) typical offense behavior; and
(ii) the use of modern computer and
internet technologies; and
(2) to better reflect the current spectrum of offender
culpability.
(c) Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (b), the United
States Sentencing Commission shall--
(1) ensure that the Federal sentencing guidelines and
policy statements reflect--
(A) the seriousness of the offenses described in
that subsection;
(B) the need to afford adequate deterrence to
commission of the offenses;
(C) the need for just punishment for the offenses;
(D) the need to protect the public from further
crimes of a defendant convicted of any such offense;
and
(E) the need to differentiate among offenders based
on their culpability and potential dangerousness;
(2) avoid duplicative punishment within the applicable
guidelines and under the Federal sentencing guidelines for
substantially the same conduct;
(3) develop a guideline that accounts for--
(A) whether, prior to, during, or after the offense
at issue, the defendant engaged in, conspired to engage
in, or attempted to engage in--
(i) an act of prohibited conduct against a
child; or
(ii) a pattern of activity involving
prohibited conduct against a child, whether
involving a single victim or multiple victims;
(B) whether, prior to, during, or after the offense
at issue, the defendant--
(i) participated in a group dedicated to
child sexual abuse material or prohibited
conduct against a child; or
(ii) encouraged, instructed, required, or
similarly caused another individual to commit
an offense involving child sexual abuse
material or prohibited conduct against a child;
(C) whether the defendant engaged in multiple acts,
not accounted for in the defendant's criminal history
or counts of conviction, involving child sexual abuse
material over an extended period of time or with a high
degree of frequency;
(D) whether the defendant intentionally used, or
promoted the use of, software, technology, procedures,
or any other means to conceal the offense or the
identity or location of the defendant or any victim, or
to destroy evidence for an improper purpose, unless
accounted for in the conduct of conviction;
(E) whether 3 or more online channels,
technologies, platforms, or methods were used to commit
the offense;
(F) gradations in--
(i) the severity of the depicted sexually
explicit conduct, including especially severe
physical or emotional trauma; and
(ii) the age or physical development of the
minor;
(G) the number of items of child sexual abuse
material or the number of victims involved in the
offense;
(H) whether the offense involved distribution of
child sexual abuse material, accounting for the nature
of the distribution, including--
(i) distribution in order to receive any
valuable consideration; and
(ii) distribution through any method that
does not limit who can obtain the material or
how many individuals can obtain the material;
(I) whether the offense involved the production,
creation, or manufacture of child sexual abuse material
that is not subject to the cross reference in section
2G2.2(c)(1) of the United States Sentencing Guidelines
Manual to section 2G2.1 of the Manual;
(J) whether the offense was the direct and
proximate cause of the victim's death by suicide; and
(K) any other conduct or factors that the United
States Sentencing Commission determines appropriate to
reflect the seriousness of the offense and
differentiate among offenders;
(4) make any necessary conforming changes to the
guidelines; and
(5) ensure that the guidelines adequately meet the purposes
of sentencing, as set forth in section 3553(a)(2) of title 18,
United States Code.
(d) Authority for United States Sentencing Commission.--In carrying
out this section, the United States Sentencing Commission--
(1) may amend provisions of the Federal sentencing
guidelines that were promulgated pursuant to any other specific
congressional directives or legislation directly amending the
guidelines and promulgate amendments that would result in
sentencing ranges different than those that would have applied
under such directives or legislation; and
(2) in developing a guideline that comports with the
requirements of this section, particularly accounting for the
factors set forth in subsection (c)(3)--
(A) may--
(i) design the specific offense
characteristics, including the increase in
offense level that each offense characteristic
would provide; and
(ii) define any terms; and
(B) may not lower the applicable base offense level
provided in section 2G2.2(a) of the United States
Sentencing Guidelines Manual as in effect on the date
of enactment of this Act.
(e) Repeals.--
(1) Laws.--The following provisions of law are repealed:
(A) Section 632 of the Treasury, Postal Service and
General Government Appropriations Act, 1992 (28 U.S.C.
994 note; Public Law 102-141).
(B) Sections 2 and 3 of the Sex Crimes Against
Children Prevention Act of 1995 (28 U.S.C. 994 note;
Public Law 104-71).
(C) Section 401(i)(1) of the Prosecutorial Remedies
and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children
Today Act of 2003 (28 U.S.C. 994 note; Public Law 108-
21).
(2) Guidelines.--Section 2G2.2(b) of the United States
Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual is amended by striking
paragraph (7).
(3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall take effect on the date on which the amendments to the
Federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements required
under subsection (b) take effect.
TITLE II--ENDING COERCION OF CHILDREN AND HARM ONLINE
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Ending Coercion of Children and
Harm Online Act'' or the ``ECCHO Act''.
SEC. 202. COERCION OF CHILDREN TO COMMIT HARM.
Chapter 110A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after section 2261B the following:
``Sec. 2261C. Coercion of children to commit harm
``(a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
``(1) Coerce.--The term `coerce' includes the use of
extortion, threats, fraud, deceit, duress, intimidation,
harassment, humiliation, degradation, or manipulation.
``(2) Minor.--The term `minor' means any individual who has
not attained the age of 18 years.
``(3) Substantial bodily injury.--The term `substantial
bodily injury' has the meaning given that term in section 113.
``(b) Offense.--It shall be unlawful for any person, using the mail
or any facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce, or within
the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,
to intentionally coerce a minor, directly or through an intermediary,
to--
``(1)(A) die by suicide or attempt to die by suicide; or
``(B) kill or attempt to kill any individual;
``(2) kill or attempt to kill any pet, emotional support
animal, service animal, or horse;
``(3) strangle, suffocate, poison, burn, lacerate, or
inflict serious bodily injury or substantial bodily injury on
any individual (including the minor), pet, emotional support
animal, service animal, or horse; or
``(4) commit or attempt to commit arson.
``(c) Penalty.--Any person who violates, or attempts or conspires
to violate--
``(1) subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (b)(1) shall be
fined under this title, imprisoned for any term of years or
life, or both; or
``(2) paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subsection (b) shall be
fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 30 years,
or both.''.
SEC. 203. CLERICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 110A of
title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 2261B the following:
``2261C. Coercion of children to commit harm.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Title 18.--
(A) Chapter 110.--Chapter 110 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended--
(i) in section 2252A(g), by inserting
``section 2261C,'' after ``section 1591,''; and
(ii) in section 2258A--
(I) in subsection (a)--
(aa) in paragraph (1)(A),
by striking ``online child
sexual exploitation and to
prevent the online sexual
exploitation of children'' and
inserting ``, and to prevent,
online child sexual
exploitation and online
coercion of children''; and
(bb) in paragraph (2)(A)--
(AA) by striking
``or 2260 that involves
child pornography,''
and inserting ``2260,
2261C, or 2422(b),
or''; and
(BB) by striking
``, or of 2422(b)'';
(II) in subsection (b), in the
matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``sexual'' and inserting
``online'';
(III) in subsection (c)--
(aa) in paragraph (1), by
striking ``, kidnapping, or
enticement crimes'' and
inserting ``or kidnapping,
online coercion, or enticement
crimes involving children'';
(bb) in paragraph (2), by
inserting ``or kidnapping,
online coercion, or enticement
crimes involving children''
after ``sexual exploitation'';
and
(cc) in paragraph (3), by
striking ``, kidnapping, or
enticement crimes'' and
inserting ``or kidnapping,
online coercion, or enticement
crimes involving children'';
(IV) in subsection
(d)(5)(A)(ii)(II), by striking ``,
kidnapping, or enticement crimes'' and
inserting ``or kidnapping, online
coercion, or enticement crimes
involving children'';
(V) in subsection (g)(3)--
(aa) in subparagraph (A),
by striking ``, kidnapping, or
enticement crimes'' and
inserting ``or kidnapping,
online coercion, or enticement
crimes involving children'';
(bb) in subparagraph (B),
by striking ``, kidnapping, or
enticement crimes'' and
inserting ``or kidnapping,
online coercion, or enticement
crimes involving children'';
and
(cc) in subparagraph (C),
by striking ``, kidnapping, or
enticement crimes'' and
inserting ``or kidnapping,
online coercion, or enticement
crimes involving children'';
and
(VI) in subsection (h)(5), by
striking ``the proliferation of online
child sexual exploitation or preventing
the online sexual exploitation of
children'' and inserting ``or
preventing the proliferation of online
child sexual exploitation or online
coercion of children''.
(B) Section 3509.--Section 3509(a)(2)(A) of title
18, United States Code, is amended by striking
``physical abuse, sexual abuse, or exploitation'' and
inserting ``child abuse''.
(C) Section 5032.--Section 5032 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended--
(i) in the first undesignated paragraph--
(I) by striking ``or section
1002(a)'' and inserting ``section
1002(a)''; and
(II) by striking ``section 922(x)
or section 924(b), (g), or (h) of this
title'' and inserting ``or section
922(x), section 924(b), (g), or (h), or
section 2261C(b)(1) or (2) of this
title''; and
(ii) in the fourth undesignated paragraph,
by striking ``section 922(x) of this title, or
in section 924(b), (g), or (h) of this title''
and inserting ``section 922(x), section 924(b),
(g), or (h), or section 2261C(b)(1) or (2) of
this title''.
(2) PROTECT our children act of 2008.--Section 2 of the
PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 (34 U.S.C. 21101) is amended
by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) Child exploitation.--The term `child exploitation'
means--
``(A) any conduct, attempted conduct, or conspiracy
to engage in conduct that--
``(i) violates chapter 110 or section
2261C, 2422(b), or 2423 of title 18, United
States Code; or
``(ii) involves a minor and violates
section 1591 or chapter 109A of title 18,
United States Code; or
``(B) any sexual activity involving a minor for
which any person can be charged with a criminal
offense.''.
SEC. 204. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this title, an amendment made by this title, or
the application of such provision or amendment to any person or
circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this
title, the amendments made by this title, and the application of the
provisions of such to any person or circumstance shall not be affected
thereby.
TITLE III--STOP SEXTORTION
SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Stop Sextortion Act''.
SEC. 302. CRIMINALIZING THREATS TO DISTRIBUTE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
MATERIAL.
Title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in section 2252--
(A) in subsection (a)(2)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A)--
(I) by inserting ``, or threatens
to distribute any visual depiction with
intent to intimidate, coerce, extort,
or cause substantial emotional distress
to any person,'' after ``distributes,
any visual depiction'';
(II) by striking ``foreign commerce
or that'' and inserting ``foreign
commerce, or involving a visual
depiction that''; and
(III) by striking ``, or which
contains materials which have been
mailed or so shipped or transported,'';
and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking
``Whoever'' and inserting ``Except as provided
in paragraph (3), whoever''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Whoever violates, or attempts or conspires to violate,
subsection (a)(2) for threatening to distribute any visual depiction,
as described in that subsection, shall be punished as provided in
paragraph (2) of this subsection if no such visual depiction
existed.''; and
(2) in section 2252A--
(A) in subsection (a)(2)(A)--
(i) by inserting ``, or threatens to
distribute any child pornography with intent to
intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause
substantial emotional distress to any person,''
after ``any child pornography''; and
(ii) by striking ``foreign commerce or
that'' and inserting ``foreign commerce, or
involving any child pornography that''; and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking
``Whoever'' and inserting ``Except as provided
in paragraph (4), whoever''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Whoever violates, or attempts or conspires to violate,
subsection (a)(2)(A) for threatening to distribute any child
pornography, as described in that subsection, shall be punished as
provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection if no such child
pornography existed.''.
SEC. 303. PENALTIES FOR THREATS TO DISTRIBUTE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
MATERIAL.
(a) In General.--Title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in section 1466A--
(A) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding
subsection (b), by inserting ``, but if the offense
involves the knowing use of a visual depiction of a
minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, with the
intent to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause
substantial emotional distress to any person, the
maximum term of imprisonment provided in section
2252A(b)(1) shall be increased by 10 years'' before the
period at the end; and
(B) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding
subsection (c), by inserting ``, but if the offense
involves the knowing use of a visual depiction of a
minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, with the
intent to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause
substantial emotional distress to any person, the
maximum term of imprisonment provided in section
2252A(b)(2) shall be increased by 10 years'' before the
period at the end; and
(2) in section 2260A--
(A) in the section heading, by striking ``Penalties
for registered sex offenders'' and inserting ``Other
offenses and penalties'';
(B) by striking ``Whoever'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) Offenses by registered sex offenders.--Whoever''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Additional penalties.--If any offense under section
875(d), 2251, 2252, 2252A, or 2260 involves the knowing use of
child pornography with the intent to intimidate, coerce,
extort, or cause substantial emotional distress to any person,
the maximum term of imprisonment provided in section 875(d),
2251(e), 2252(b), 2252A(b), or 2260(c) shall be increased by 10
years.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 110 of
title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating
to section 2260A and inserting the following:
``2260A. Other offenses and penalties.''.
SEC. 304. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this title, an amendment made by this title, or
the application of such provision or amendment to any person or
circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this
title, the amendments made by this title, and the application of the
provisions of such to any person or circumstance shall not be affected
thereby.
Calendar No. 346
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6719
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To prohibit threats to a minor, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
March 2, 2026
Reported with an amendment
James T. Woods Act
#6719 | HR Congress #119
Policy Area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 346. (3/2/2026)
Bill Text Source: Congress.gov
Summary and Impacts
Original Text