Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) wrote to Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), asking them to support his bipartisan Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment (CSAFE) Act.
What the Bill Does: A Recap
Rep. Biggs' CSAFE Act strengthens federal penalties for online predators who coerce minors into acts of self-harm, animal abuse, suicide, and other acts of degradation or abuse. Specifically, the minimum sentence for coercing minors into such acts is ten years, which is raised to twenty if serious bodily harm occurs. If a victim dies, the perpetrator is sentenced to life.
The bill passed the House in January with bipartisan support, but has lingered in the Senate ever since.
Biggs' Letter to Gallego and Kelly
In the letter, Rep. Biggs wrote, "It's been 227 days since the U.S. House unanimously passed my CSAFE Act to deliver long-overdue legal clarity and serious consequences for criminals who coerce and exploit children."
"Unfortunately, the U.S. Senate has yet to consider this legislation. That's why I'm calling on U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego to join my efforts to protect our children and champion this meaningful policy to the finish line in their chamber," the Arizona congressman continued, adding, "Passage of this bill would close gaps in federal law that allow predators to hide behind screens, anonymity, and outdated statutes while young lives are shattered. It's time for action. It's time for the U.S. Senate to pass CSAFE."
Previous Pushes for CSAFE
Biggs previously pushed for the Senate to pass the CSAFE bill more broadly in April, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shared news of Amanda Leigh Fourez, an American citizen who pleaded guilty on April 15th to paying others to create "animal crush videos" and distribute them online.
In July, he commented on the case of Joshua Jacobs, a Georgia man who allegedly traded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) with a 12-year-old online and coerced the 12-year-old into sending sexually explicit images, as another example of why the CSAFE Act needed to become law.
