$16.6M Secured for Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces in 2025
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$16.6M Secured for Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces in 2025 〰️
A Trusted Resource on Capitol Hill
Raven’s frontline experience positions us differently from any other advocacy organization in this fight.
Our expertise is grounded in experience — we did this work and couldn’t walk away.
Now, we make the future safer for kids by addressing the roots of online child exploitation: outdated laws, a lack of awareness and cross-industry collaboration, and resource limitations.
We draft original Bill text, collaborate across the political aisle, and advance protective legislation. By improving the systems, we foster long-term change that will protect generations to come.
Original Legislation
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Accountability for AI-driven Abuse
Under existing law, prosecutors must prove an offender intended to distribute AI generated child sexual abuse material, making it harder to hold them accountable and resulting in low criminal sentences.
Enforce will:
Close dangerous loopholes in current law and ensure predators who use AI or deepfake technology to create child sexual abuse images face the same penalties as those who exploit real children.
Apply strict consequences
Ensures obscene depictions of minors are handled in court with the same seriousness as CSAM.
Raven’s Role: This is original legislation drafted by Raven. We are advocating for its passage to hold all CSAM offenders equal under the law.
Status: Passed the Senate by unanimous consent. Introduced in the House.
Representatives Ann Wagner (R), Jeff Van Drew (R), and Steven Cohen (D)
Senators John Cornyn (R) & Richard Blumenthal
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Investigators are overwhelmed with massive amounts of digital evidence stored on thumb drives and local servers, slowing down victim identification and offender arrests and prosecution.
This Bill will:
Allow law enforcement to store CSAM evidence using approved cloud vendors to expedite investigations into online abuse.
Requires vendors to meet strict cybersecurity standards.
Provide limited liability protections for vendors working with law enforcement to encourage secure partnerships.
Raven’s Role: This is original legislation drafted by Raven. We are advocating for its passage to reduce the cost of evidence storage and improve efficiency of investigations and victim identification.
Status: Senate sponsors confirmed with House sponsors in the pipeline. Introduction in October, 2025.
Senators Marsha Blackburn (R) & Amy Klobuchar (D)
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Raven’s Role: This will be Raven’s third piece of original legislation. It seeks to create a device-based age verification measure to ensure children are accessing age-appropriate content while providing parents and guardians a central hub to manage parental controls for all applications.
Status: In draft, seeking technical feedback.
State Legislation
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Advocacy Win — $2 Million for ICAC Task Forces
Following sustained advocacy led by Raven, the State of New Jersey has approved an additional $2 million in annual funding to strengthen its Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force budgets. This recurring investment will allow law enforcement to purchase critical technology, streamline digital evidence processing, and move faster from report to rescue — ensuring children are protected from online exploitation and abuse.
With U.S. households averaging more than 25 connected devices and over 29 million CyberTips reported nationally in 2024, New Jersey’s action demonstrates strong leadership in addressing the growing scale of online crimes against children.
This expansion is part of Raven’s broader strategy to ensure that laws are backed by sustained funding so investigators can act effectively and children can be kept safe.
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Advocacy Win — $3 Million for ICAC Task Forces
Through Raven’s advocacy, Florida has made a historic commitment to child protection by approving $3 million in recurring annual funding for the state’s three Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces. This is the first time Florida has designated ongoing funding to support the Gainesville Police Department (North), the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office (Central), and the Broward Sheriff’s Office (South), which together lead the state’s response to online child exploitation.
With this investment, law enforcement will be able to expand staffing, deploy advanced technology, and speed up investigations — helping close the gap between CyberTip reports and rescues so more children can be protected from online predators. Florida’s leadership marks a pivotal step forward in ensuring investigators have the resources needed to fight exploitation in one of the most digitally connected states in the nation.
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Expanded Resources & Strategy
Raven is in preliminary conversations with state lawmakers to expand funding for Wyoming’s ICAC task force. This holds transformative potential for the task force — positioning it to establish efficient infrastructure and purchase cutting-edge technology to rescue children faster.
Federal Legislation
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Digital Protections & Resources
Renews, modernizes, and reinforces the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program.
Ensures ICACs are better equipped to fight online child exploitation with updated tools and resources, rescuing children from abuse faster.
Raven’s Role: We are leading the charge in ensuring this Bill is renewed by securing bipartisan support while mitigating minimal concerns around funding.
Status: PASSED.
Senators John Cornyn (R), Josh Hawley (R), Marsha Blackburn (R), Chuck Grassley (R), Ashley Moody (R) Richard Blumenthal (D), Amy Klobuchar (D), Dick Durbin (D), Chris Coons (D), Mazie Hirono (D)
Representatives Jeff Van Drew (R), Nathaniel Moran (R), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), & Jared Moskowitz (D).
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Faster, Stronger Reporting for Survivors
Strengthens protections for children online by requiring tech companies to report suspected child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline within 60 days and include key evidence like account details and messages.
Holds companies accountable for failing to report and requires transparency about their safety policies and prevention tools.
Expands privacy protections for victims and gives survivors a new pathway to seek justice through civil lawsuits
Helps law enforcement rescue children sooner, and stop future abuse, with increased accountability.
Raven’s Role: Partnering with aligned non-profits to ensure this Bill passes through constant advocacy across Capitol Hill. Testified in Congress in support.
Status: Introduced in House & Senate
Senators Josh Hawley (R) & Richard Durbin (D)
Representatives Barry Moore (R) & Sylvia Garcia (D)
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Better Tech, Faster Rescues
Raven is leading the charge to bring federal resources directly to the frontlines of child protection. Raven is the only organization in the nation filing requests on behalf of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces for Congressionally Directed (Senate) and Community Project (House) Funding. These applications ensure that law enforcement agencies can purchase the cutting-edge technology they need to accelerate investigations, process digital evidence at scale, and rescue children faster.
This year alone, Raven’s advocacy has resulted in $12 million in approved federal funding for 19 ICAC Task Forces nationwide — a landmark investment in child protection. These grants, pending the President’s signature into law, will empower investigators to close the gap between rising CyberTip reports and timely rescues, helping to keep children safe in an increasingly digital world.
This is Raven’s expert workgroup that gives a voice to the people at the heart of technology — the engineers, coders, product builders, and innovators shaping the digital future. These technical experts provide direct guidance on drafted legislation, fact sheets, and testimony related to online child exploitation, ensuring that laws keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.
By bringing technical voices into the policymaking process, TALON helps decision-makers understand what is possible, what is dangerous, and where innovation must be balanced with responsibility.
Technical experts act as trusted advisors, helping to determine where technology advances should be encouraged and where safeguards are essential. This collaboration bridges the gap between industry and policy, accelerating progress toward a safer online world for children.
Technical Action & Legislative Oversight Network
Turning Expertise into Practical Education & Action