H.R. 6719 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Jan 12, 2026. Received Jan 13, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryStrengthens laws against child exploitation online
This bill expands federal law to crack down on people who harm children online. It creates new crimes around online coercion and sextortion (threatening to share explicit images to blackmail or scare someone), increases penalties for these offenses, requires more reporting, and makes it easier to prosecute offenders. It also directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to update guidelines for child sexual abuse material crimes to better account for the real harm these offenses cause.
How it affects you
If you're a young person online, this bill aims to give you more protection from people trying to coerce or blackmail you using explicit images. Parents and teachers may see changes in how schools and platforms report suspected exploitation. Prosecutors and law enforcement will have stronger tools to investigate and punish these crimes. The bill doesn't directly change rules for most other people's daily lives.
Read the official summary (Reported to Senate, Mar 2, 2026)
James T. Woods Act
This bill expands the federal framework for combating the online exploitation of children. Among its provisions, the bill establishes new criminal offenses, expands reporting requirements, and facilitates the prosecution and sentencing of offenders.
TITLE I—SAFE ACT
Sentencing Accountability For Exploitation Act or the SAFE Act
This title directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend its guidelines and policy statements applicable to federal criminal offenses involving the production, receipt, transport, shipment, or distribution of child sexual abuse material to (1) account for the actual and potential harm from the offense and changes since the last amendments with respect to the typical offense behavior and modern technologies, and (2) better reflect the spectrum of offender culpability.
TITLE II—ENDING COERCION OF CHILDREN AND HARM ONLINE
Ending Coercion of Children and Harm Online Act or the ECCHO Act
This title establishes a federal framework to combat the online coercion of minors to commit harm. The title creates new criminal offenses, expands reporting of instances involving the online coercion of minors, facilitates the prosecution of offenders, and expands protections for minors who testify in court.
TITLE III—STOP SEXTORTION
Stop Sextortion Act
This title criminalizes threats to distribute child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. This practice is commonly referred to as sextortion . The title also increases criminal penalties for related offenses that involve the use of child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 6719
AN ACT
Combating Online Predators Act
James T. Woods Act
Sponsor: Rep. Laurel M. Lee (R-FL-15) · Introduced Dec 15, 2025 · Crime and Law Enforcement · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 2, 2026: “Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 346.”