Letter to Nita Lowey, Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, Kay Granger, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Jose Serrano, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, and Robert Aderholt, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science - Gonzalez Expands Push Against Child Exploitation

Letter

U.S. Congressman Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) expanded his push to end online child exploitation, sending a new letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations alongside Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) and 26 other bipartisan members of the House to request additional resources to combat the increasing crisis of online child exploitation.

"While abuse has risen over the past decade, federal funding to combat this issue has remained practically flat. We are grateful for the Committee's leadership the last several years to increase funding in this area. Nevertheless, this crisis is at a breaking point. Understanding the budget constraints the Committee on Appropriations faces on an annual basis, we request the Committee reaffirm Congress's commitment to combatting child exploitation as a law enforcement priority by increasing funding for Missing and Exploited Children programs beyond the $85 million allocated in H.R. 3055," reads the letter.

"As a new father, I am sickened by the growing problem of online exploitation and the impact that it has on victims. The facts laid out in the recent New York Times report are horrific and demand action. After speaking with law enforcement, it became clear to me that the number one challenge law enforcement has faced is a lack of resources to adequately take on this problem," said Congressman Gonzalez. "We must address shortcomings in current funding and put forth innovative solutions, including the use of new technologies, to protect our children and keep this content off the internet."

"The federal government needs to bolster its efforts to combat online images of child sexual abuse," said Congresswoman Kuster. "After 45 million images depicting horrific crimes against children were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children last year, it's clear that we must do more to keep children safe. I am proud to work with Congressman Gonzalez to build bipartisan support for increasing funding to address these serious crimes, and urge my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to make protecting children a priority by providing more than $85 million for Missing and Exploited Children programs in the conference appropriations legislation."

"The trail of child abuse imagery leads right to the doorstep of children waiting for rescue," said Grier Weeks, senior executive at the National Association to Protect Children. "The brave men and women racing to locate them desperately need this funding. Why would we not do everything in our power to support them?"

According to a recent New York Times report, technology companies have reported 45 million images and videos depicting abuse over the past year, more than double what they found the previous year. To make matters worse, evolving technologies have provided new tools to shield predators, such as encryption techniques and anonymous platforms like the dark web. Despite an effort to stem the increase in online child exploitation through the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, law enforcement agencies on the local, state and federal level continue to face major obstacles in their efforts to combat the problem, including a lack of access to the most current and updated technology and insufficient staff and funding to process increasing numbers of tips.

Only available in PDF format; please see source to view document.