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Sex Crimes Against Children Prevention Act of 1995

Public Law 104-71 · H.R. 1240 · 104th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Dec 23, 1995 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Rep. Bill McCollum (R-FL-8)

Cosponsors (7): Rep. Barbara Vucanovich,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Sex Crimes Against Children Prevention Act of 1995 - Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to amend the sentencing guidelines to increase the base offense level: (1) by at least two levels for offenses involving the creation of, or trafficking in, child pornography; (2) by at least two levels if a computer was used to traffic in, or advertise, child pornography; and (3) by at least three levels for an offense involving the interstate transportation of children with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Directs the Commission to submit a report to the Congress concerning offenses involving child pornography and other sex offenses against children, including: (1) an analysis of the sentences imposed for specified sex offenses and recommendations as to any modifications to the sentencing guidelines; (2) an analysis (and recommendations regarding modification) of the sentences for other specified offenses where the victim was under age 18; (3) an analysis of the type of substantial assistance that courts have recognized as warranting a downward departure from the sentencing guidelines for specified child pornography offenses; and (4) a survey of the recidivism rate for offenders convicted of committing sexual crimes against children, an analysis of the impact on recidivism of sexual abuse treatment provided during or after incarceration, and an analysis of whether increased penalties would reduce recidivism for those crimes.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.

  1. Dec 23, 1995Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-71.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 14, 1995PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 12, 1995Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. McCollum asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
  7. Apr 6, 1995FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  8. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 595 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
  9. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  10. Apr 4, 1995FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  11. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 417 - 0 (Roll No. 283).House roll call 283
  12. FloorFloor · Mr. Schiff moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  13. Mar 28, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  14. Mar 22, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  15. Mar 16, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  18. Mar 15, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  19. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.