Child Protection Improvements Act Passes in the Senate Judiciary Committee

Source: Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R - UT)

Washington, D.C. - September 9, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The bipartisan Child Protection Improvements Act—which was introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)—passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

This bill amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a national criminal history background check system and criminal history review program for organizations that serve children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.

Senator Hatch’s full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:

Thank you, Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Feinstein, for bringing the Child Protection Improvements Act before the Judiciary Committee today. I also want to thank Senator Franken for teaming up with me to introduce this important bill, as well as Senators Klobuchar, Kennedy, Sasse, and Blumenthal, who have all joined as cosponsors. The objective of this bipartisan bill is simple: to better protect the most vulnerable in our society—namely, children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.

The Child Protection Improvements Act amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to make permanent a pilot program originally created by the Adam Walsh Act. This program ensures that organizations that serve children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities have access to FBI fingerprint background checks for their employees, volunteers, and coaches. My hope is that this bill, which is broadly supported by youth-serving organizations and law enforcement groups, will save many lives and better protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Yesterday, a letter in support of S. 705 was sent to this Committee signed by twenty-eight youth-serving organizations, including the YMCA, the Girl Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Club, and many more. I ask unanimous consent that this letter be placed in the record.

I encourage my colleagues on this Committee to join me in advancing this legislation to the Senate floor.

With that, I call up and offer my manager’s amendment ALB17605 to S. 705, the Child Protection Improvements Act. This amendment caps the cost of an FBI background check under this program “at the actual cost of the background check.”

Additionally, the amendment clarifies that for-profit organizations participating in this program may not pay less than the total sum of the costs of the FBI background check.