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119-s-1401119th Congress

Targeting Child Predators Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Kennedy, John [R-LA]

Introduced

Summary

Moves nondisclosure authority for certain administrative subpoenas to the Secretary of Homeland Security. It also creates a new judicial-review framework and adds a risk-based 180-day nondisclosure option tied to specific investigative risks.

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  • Recipients of covered subpoenas can be barred from telling anyone about the subpoena or its contents for 180 days when a federal official certifies risks like danger to life, flight, evidence tampering, or witness intimidation. Disclosures are limited to what is necessary to comply, to get legal advice, or to permitted people who then must follow the same nondisclosure rules.
  • The bill transfers issuing authority from the Secretary of the Treasury to the Secretary of Homeland Security and removes the prior requirement that a court order nondisclosure before it applies. A certification by the federal official triggers the 180-day nondisclosure option.
  • It creates Section 3486A so subpoena recipients can seek judicial review. The government must apply for a court nondisclosure order within 30 days of notice, courts decide based on whether disclosure may cause the listed harms, hearings are sealed, and courts may extend nondisclosure in additional 180-day ex parte periods when warranted.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

180‑day secrecy for some subpoenas

If enacted, the bill would let federal officials attach a 180-day secrecy rule to certain administrative subpoenas when they certify specific risks. During that time, recipients could not say a federal official sought or obtained those records. The secrecy would be subject to a new judicial-review process and courts could extend secrecy in 180-day periods or longer, often in private and under seal.

Limited sharing allowed under secrecy

If enacted, the bill would let people who hold secreted information share it only in narrow ways: to those who need it to comply, to a lawyer, or to others the federal official allows. Anyone told must follow the same secrecy rule. The discloser must notify recipients about the rule and may have to name who was told if the official asks.

Moves subpoena power to DHS

If enacted, the bill would replace references to the Treasury Secretary with the Homeland Security Secretary for these administrative subpoenas. That means DHS, not Treasury, would be named as the issuing official in the statute. The change does not itself create payments or new benefits.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Kennedy, John [R-LA]

LA • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 4/9/2025

  • Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 4/9/2025

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 6/26/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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