All Roll Calls
Yes: 385 • No: 28
117-s-4926117th CongressWALLET
Respect for Child Survivors Act
Sponsored By: Senator Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Became Law
Summary
This law makes multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) mandatory in FBI investigations of child sexual exploitation, child sexual abuse material production, and child trafficking. It also strengthens collaboration with children's advocacy centers and expands federal support for victim-centered, trauma-informed investigations and services.
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- Victims and families: Every covered FBI investigation must use an MDT and provide victim advocates and access to trained forensic interviewers or CAC-based interviewers when needed, improving coordinated care and referrals.
- Investigators and prosecutors: The FBI must adopt MDT procedures, set training and expertise standards, allow information sharing with CAC personnel under defined limits, and report annually to the Attorney General when interviews occur without an MDT or trained interviewer.
- Children's Advocacy Centers and states: The law boosts organizational capacity, technical assistance, and statewide maintenance of CAC networks and MDTs and authorizes stable grant funding of $40 million per year through FY2028 to support those efforts.
*This law increases federal spending by authorizing about $40 million per year through fiscal year 2028 to expand Victims of Child Abuse Act programs and related support.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More funding for child victim services
The law strengthens children’s advocacy centers and state chapters. It authorizes $40 million each fiscal year from 2022 through 2028 for grants. It also raises a baseline figure from $3.3 million to $3.4 million. States must establish and maintain centers and provide training, technical help, and oversight. Staff roles expand to include victim advocates and team leaders, and programs push faster responses with a 72-hour limit for some forensic interviews.
FBI must use child-focused teams
The FBI must use multidisciplinary teams in child sexual abuse, exploitation, CSAM production, and child trafficking cases. A trained child forensic interviewer runs the interview; if none is available at the FBI, a trained interviewer at a children’s advocacy center may do it. Teams include investigators, medical and mental health providers, victim advocates, children’s advocacy center staff, and prosecutors. CAC staff can see the case information they need, within legal limits, and may get security clearances. The FBI assigns an advocate to each victim and reports each year when any interview happened without a team or trained interviewer.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 9/22/2022
Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
SC • R
Sponsored 9/22/2022
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 9/22/2022
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 12/21/2022
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Yes: 385 • No: 28