Congress · Laws

Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation Act of 1977

Public Law 95-225 · S. 1585 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Feb 6, 1978 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Sen. Charles Mathias (R-MD)

Cosponsors (58): Sen. John Culver, Sen. Samuel Hayakawa,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 401 yea, 0 nay401–0
SenateMethod not stated

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.

Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation Act - Prohibits the sexual exploitation of children by making it unlawful for any person to employ, use, or cause any minor to engage in or assist in any sexual act for the purpose of producing any visual or print medium if such person knows or has reason to know that such material will be mailed or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

Makes it unlawful for any parent, guardian or person having control over a minor to knowingly permit such minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct if such person knows or has reason to know that such material will be mailed or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

Makes it unlawful to knowingly transport, ship, or mail in interstate or foreign commerce or to receive for the purpose of sale or distribution for sale any obscene visual or print medium depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Imposes for violations of this Act a fine of $10,000 and/or imprisonment up to ten years for the first offense and a fine of $15,000 and/or imprisonment up to 15 years for such offense thereafter.

Prohibits the transportation in interstate or foreign commerce or in the District of Columbia or any U.S. possession of any person (currently females only) younger than 18 years old for the purpose of engaging in prostitution or prohibited sexual conduct.

Imposes a fine of $10,000 and/or imprisonment up to ten years for a violation of this provision.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 401 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

401 yea0 nay31 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(263)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Raymond LedererD-PA-3
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Joseph LeFanteD-NJ-14
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Joseph AmmermanD-PA-23
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. David CornwellD-IN-8
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. Clifford AllenD-TN-5
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Billy EvansD-GA-8
Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3
Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7

Republicans who voted yea(138)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Newton SteersR-MD-8
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. Bruce CaputoR-NY-23
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Shirley PettisR-CA-37
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-18
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. John CunninghamR-WA-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. David StockmanR-MI-4
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-27
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-33
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-26
Rep. George HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 715 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

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

Judiciary Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by

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. 23 actions.

Feb 6, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-225.
Jan 25, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Jan 24, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #12 (401-0).House roll call 12
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #12 (401-0).House roll call 12
Nov 4, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-601.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-601.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-811.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-811.
Oct 27, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
Oct 25, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to instruct conferees to agree to Senate provisions passed House, roll call #692 (358-54).House roll call 692
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 8059.
FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
Oct 10, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #553 (85-1).Senate roll call 553
FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
Sep 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
May 23, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate

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.