PROTECT OUR CHILDREN SIGNED INTO LAW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 23, 2025
Congress Passes Critical Child Protection Legislation in Final NDAA Bill
PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025 Secures Continued Support for ICAC Task Forces
Washington, D.C. — Raven celebrates Congress’s bipartisan passage of the PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act as part of the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). With approval from both the House and Senate this week, the legislation now heads to the President’s desk, ensuring the nation’s frontline response to online child exploitation remains strong, resourced, and modernized.
The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces investigate a majority of online child sexual exploitation cases in the United States. This work includes responding to over 1 million annual CyberTipline reports. Their work saves lives, rescues children from danger, and brings offenders to justice.
The PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act strengthens and supports the ICAC program by:
Reauthorizing critical funding through 2028, sustaining and expanding ICAC resources for digital forensics, investigator training, and victim identification
Updating the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention, ensuring federal coordination keeps pace with rapidly evolving technology and emerging threats
Reinforcing both proactive and reactive investigative capabilities, empowering ICACs to identify emerging threats, intervene earlier, and respond swiftly to children in immediate danger
Establishing limited liability protections, helping ICACs triage overwhelming volumes of high-risk CyberTips without fear of unintended legal exposure
“Raven applauds Congress for reauthorizing the Protect Our Children Act. This legislation is essential to strengthening the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces at a moment when online exploitation is accelerating at unprecedented levels,” said Jennifer Dunton, Raven’s Director of Legislative Affairs. “We thank the bill’s sponsors for their bipartisan leadership. As we move forward, we look forward to partnering with the appropriations committees to secure the robust funding ICACs need, as current authorization levels fall far short of the demand facing investigators.”
Raven extends deep appreciation to Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Representatives Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) for their steadfast dedication to child safety and support. We are also grateful to Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for ensuring its inclusion and passage within the NDAA.
Raven will continue advocating for the implementation of these improvements and advancing policy solutions that protect children wherever they are online.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Brenna Pitman
Director of Development
Brenna@raven.us