President Biden signed into law Congresswoman Deborah Ross’ (NC-02) bipartisan legislation, the Parity for Child Exploitation Offenders Act, as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This legislation, which Congresswoman Ross introduced with Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), will close loopholes for child predators by ensuring that existing enhanced penalties for sexual crimes involving children are applied equally to all sexual predators.

Under federal law, repeat child exploitation offenders routinely receive enhanced penalties for their crimes. However, current law contains a loophole allowing these offenders sentenced under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to receive lighter sentences, despite being engaged in the same conduct. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) led companion legislation in the Senate.

“Sexual predators convicted under the UCMJ must face the consequences of their actions, but loopholes in our justice system have allowed them to escape full accountability,” said Congresswoman Ross. “This legislation will ensure survivors who endured unimaginable trauma can access the justice they deserve. I am relieved we could accomplish this bipartisan reform in the NDAA, and I thank President Biden for signing this into law.”

Bill text is available here.

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