The Senate today by unanimous consent passed legislation led by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to require amateur athletics governing bodies to report sex-abuse allegations immediately to local or federal law enforcement, or a child-welfare agency designated by the Justice Department.
Most importantly for victims of child pornography, the bill reforms Masha’s Law found at 18 U.S.C. 2255 by significantly enhancing federal civil remedies for victims of child pornography. These long-sought critical reforms will empower victims of child pornography to hold offenders responsible not only in criminal court, but in federal civil court as well.
Advocates for child pornography victims have been seeking these changes for over five years. We congratulate the Senate for their hard work on this bill and the House for passing a substantially similar bill in May. The bill is expected to move quickly to final passage and the president’s signature.
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