H.R. 6998

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6998 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6998

To enhance hiring authorities at the Department of Homeland Security, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 9, 2026

Ms. Lee of Florida (for herself and Ms. Wasserman Schultz) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To enhance hiring authorities at the Department of Homeland Security, 
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Renewed Hope Act''.

SEC. 2. IMAGE AUDIO FORENSICS HIRING AND TRAINING PROGRAMS AT THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

(a) Additional Personnel.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
hire, train, and assign not fewer than--
(1) 40 forensics analysts to the Victim Identification 
Laboratory of the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit of 
Homeland Security Investigations;
(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 support identification and rescue 
of victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse at Homeland 
Security Investigations offices of the Special Agent in Charge.
(b) Prohibition on Reassignment of Positions.--
(1) In general.--A position created under subsection (a) 
may not be reassigned to another component of the Department of 
Homeland Security that is outside of the Child Exploitation 
Investigations Unit of Homeland Security Investigations or the 
offices of the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security 
Investigations, as applicable.
(2) Reassignment of employees.--An employee serving in a 
position created under subsection (a) may be reassigned to 
another component of the Department of Homeland Security that 
is outside of the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit of 
Homeland Security Investigations or the offices of the Special 
Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations only if the 
employee elects to be so reassigned.
(c) Employment of Experts and Consultants.--Section 890A of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 473) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(g) Employment of Experts and Consultants.--
``(1) In general.--In accordance with section 3109 of title 
5, United States Code, at daily rates not to exceed the 
equivalent rate prescribed for grade GS-15 of the General 
Schedule under section 5332 of such title, the Secretary may 
procure by contract the temporary (not in excess of 1 year) or 
intermittent services of experts or consultants to provide 
image and audio forensic analysis related to victim 
identification to support efforts to identify, locate, and 
rescue children seen in videos images and videos of sexual 
exploitation and abuse.
``(2) Placement.--The Secretary shall promulgate guidelines 
for assigning or detailing participants to positions at the 
Center, offices of the Special Agent in Charge, offices of the 
Resident Agent in Charge, and Attache offices.''.

SEC. 3. DECONFLICTION OF CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE 
INVESTIGATIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 
SECURITY.

Section 890A(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
473(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) Coordination.--The Secretary shall, with the 
concurrence of the directors of affected agencies within the 
Department, establish joint procedures to deconflict, 
coordinate, and synchronize child sexual exploitation 
investigations with the Center.
``(4) NCMEC coordination.--The Center may establish joint 
procedures with the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children to deconflict, coordinate, and synchronize child 
sexual exploitation investigations with the Child Victim 
Identification Program of the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited Children.''.

SEC. 4. VICTIM IDENTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish 
a Victim Identification Training Program (referred to in this section 
as the ``Program'') in the Cyber Crimes Center.
(b) Program.--The Program shall provide training used to identify 
victims of sexual exploitation and abuse to--
(1) Homeland Security Investigations personnel;
(2) Federal, State, local, Tribal, and foreign law 
enforcement agency personnel engaged in the investigation of 
crimes of child sexual exploitation and abuse within their 
respective jurisdictions;
(3) Civil service organizations engaged in the prevention 
of child sexual exploitation and the identification of abuse 
victims; and
(4) The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
(c) Functions.--The functions of the Program shall include--
(1) annual training for participants focused on--
(A) training on the most current tools and 
techniques used in victim identification; and
(B) training on the capabilities of the Victim 
Identification Laboratory; and
(2) increasing personnel knowledge on how to conduct image, 
audio, and video enhancements.

SEC. 5. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY FOR HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS.

(a) Direct Hire.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
head of Homeland Security Investigations may appoint, without 
regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 (other 
than sections 3303 and 3328 of such chapter) of title 5, United 
States Code, qualified candidates to the positions described in 
section 2(a).
(2) Limitation.--The authority under paragraph (1) shall 
not be available to the head if, during any period, at least 97 
percent of such positions are occupied.
(b) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and for each of the 4 following years, the head of Homeland 
Security Investigations shall submit a report to the Committee on the 
Judiciary and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on the Judiciary and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, 
and any other relevant congressional committee of jurisdiction. Each 
such report shall include the following:
(1) The total number of individuals appointed by the head 
under this section during the preceding year.
(2) How the direct hiring authority under this section is 
being used by the head.

SEC. 6. APPLICATION.

The requirements of each of sections 2 through 4 of this Act, and 
any amendment made by such sections, shall be carried out not later 
than the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 7. PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR VICTIMS.

(a) In General.--A covered person shall--
(1) keep all identifying information and documents 
concerning a victim of child sexual exploitation or abuse in a 
secure place to which only individuals working to identify and 
rescue victims of child sexual exploitation or abuse have 
access; and
(2) not disclose or use any information or documents 
concerning a victim of child sexual exploitation or abuse other 
than for the purposes of--
(A) investigating or prosecuting individuals for 
crimes of child sexual exploitation or abuse;
(B) connecting victims--
(i) to licensed and trained trauma informed 
medical professions; or
(ii) with Federal resources available 
through the Office of Victims of Crime at the 
Department of Justice;
(C) complying with any mandatory victim reporting 
requirements; or
(D) sharing information with other law enforcement 
personnel for the purpose of investigating or 
prosecuting individuals for crimes of child sexual 
exploitation or abuse.
(b) Covered Person Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered 
person'' means--
(1) any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer; 
or
(2) any other personnel of the Department of Homeland 
Security,
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.
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