WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to help states better protect children from sexual predators, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today helped pass legislation to improve tracking of sex offenders.  Tonight, the full U.S. Senate voted 89-0 to reauthorize the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. 

The bill reauthorizes the Sex Offender Management Assistance Program, a federal grant program that helps state and local law enforcement agencies improve their sex offender registry systems and information sharing capabilities.  It also authorizes $61.3 million per year over the next two years to help U.S. Marshals and law enforcement track down and apprehend fugitive sex offenders.  Further, the measure establishes a bill of rights for sexual assault survivors to ensure that victims of these crimes have access to basic counseling services and are given information about legal options as soon as they report a rape. 

“This measure will help prevent sexual violence against children and stop abusers from circumventing sex offender registration requirements.  It also extends needed protections to victims and ensures they can seek justice in a court of law,” said Reed, who helped pass the original Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.

Reed backed language authored by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) that was included in the Senate-passed bill to extend the statute of limitations in federal civil cases for victims of crimes such as sex trafficking, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and other crimes related to child pornography to sue the people who exploited them for up to 10 years after the child turns 18.  Under current law, the statute of limitations extension is for three years after the child turns 18.  If enacted, the new law would extend the statute of limitations to their 28th birthday.

Now that it has passed the U.S. Senate, the measure must also pass the U.S. House of Representatives.