H.R. 6998 — Renewed Hope Act

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to hire, train, and assign not fewer than (1) 40 forensics analysts and (2) 30 child exploitation investigators to the Victim Identification Laboratory of the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit of Homeland Security Investigations, and (3) 130 additional forensics analysts and child exploitation investigators to Homeland Security Investigations offices of the Special Agent in Charge to support identification and rescue of victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse. It prohibits reassignment of positions created under this section to other Department of Homeland Security components outside the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit or relevant Special Agent in Charge offices and permits reassignment of employees in such positions only upon their election. It amends Section 890A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 473) to authorize the Secretary, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3109, to procure by contract the temporary (not in excess of 1 year) or intermittent services of experts or consultants, at daily rates not to exceed the equivalent of GS-15 under 5 U.S.C. 5332, to perform image and audio forensic analysis related to victim identification in child sexual exploitation material; and it requires guidelines for assigning or detailing such personnel to the Center, Special Agent in Charge offices, Resident Agent in Charge offices, and Attaché offices.

This section directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the concurrence of directors of affected agencies within the department, to establish joint procedures to deconflict, coordinate, and synchronize child sexual exploitation investigations with the Cyber Crimes Center (i.e., a unit within ICE's Homeland Security Investigations that provides investigative assistance, training, and equipment for domestic and international cyber-related crimes investigations, including through its Child Exploitation Investigations Unit). It also authorizes the Center to establish joint procedures with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to deconflict, coordinate, and synchronize such investigations with NCMEC's Child Victim Identification Program.

This section establishes a Victim Identification Training Program in the Department of Homeland Security's Cyber Crimes Center. The program provides training to identify victims of sexual exploitation and abuse for (1) Homeland Security Investigations personnel; (2) federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement personnel investigating child sexual exploitation and abuse; (3) civil service organizations engaged in preventing child sexual exploitation and identifying abuse victims; and (4) the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Program functions include annual training on current tools and techniques for victim identification, capabilities of the Victim Identification Laboratory, and image, audio, and video enhancements.

This section authorizes the head of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)—a component of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that investigates cross-border crimes—to directly appoint qualified candidates to positions described in section 2(a), bypassing competitive service hiring requirements under 5 U.S.C. ch. 33 subch. I (except §§3303, 3328), provided fewer than 97% of such positions are occupied. The section further requires HSI to submit annual reports to the House and Senate Judiciary, Oversight and Accountability, and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees (and other relevant committees) for five years beginning one year after enactment, detailing the number of appointments made and how the authority is used.

This section establishes a deadline of 3 years after enactment for implementing sections 2 through 4 of this Act and any amendments made by those sections.

This section establishes privacy protections for victims of child sexual exploitation or abuse, requiring covered persons to secure all identifying information and documents concerning such victims in a place accessible only to individuals working to identify and rescue victims, and to limit disclosure or use of such information or documents to the following purposes: (1) investigating or prosecuting individuals for crimes of child sexual exploitation or abuse; (2) connecting victims to licensed, trauma-informed medical professionals or to Federal resources available through the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office of Victims of Crime; (3) complying with mandatory victim reporting requirements; or (4) sharing with other law enforcement personnel for investigating or prosecuting such crimes. The term "covered person" includes any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer or any other personnel of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) working in, employed by, or detailed to the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit of Homeland Security Investigations or to the offices of the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations.