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HR 2539 108th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Aid to dependent children Arrest Cash welfare block grants Child abuse Child health Child safety Child sexual abuse Child support Child welfare Collection of accounts Computer networks Congress Congressional investigations Congressional reporting requirements Continuing education Counseling Court records Crime prevention Criminal investigation

Violence Against Children Act of 2003

Introduced: June 19, 2003 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 21, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Select Education.
Jun 25, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Jun 24, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Jun 19, 2003
Introduced in House
Jun 19, 2003
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Violence Against Children Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prescribe penalties to be imposed for injuring or attempting to injure a person under 18 years of age (including life imprisonment if death results or if the offense includes kidnaping, aggravated sexual abuse, or attempting to kill) under circumstances in which: (1) the conduct occurs during the course of, or as a result of, the travel of the defendant or victim across a State line or national border; or (2) in connection with such conduct, the defendant employs a weapon that has traveled in interstate or foreign commerce. Directs the: (1) United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend its guidelines to provide enhanced penalties when the victim of a Federal crime is under 18; and (2) the Comptroller General to review State penalties and sentencing guidelines for crimes against children.

Requires the Attorney General: (1) at the request of a State, Indian tribal government, or local government, to provide assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any felony crime of violence against a child; and (2) to award grants to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution of crimes against children and to provide education, prevention, intervention, and victims' assistance services regarding crimes against children.

Requires each State receiving: (1) law enforcement grants under this Act to have in place a statewide AMBER Alert communications network for child abduction cases and to use the National Incident-Based Reporting System; (2) education, prevention, and victims' assistance grants to have in effect a statute allowing a parent to leave a newborn baby at a hospital anonymously; and (3) certain allotments for child welfare allotments to submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services a report on the State's funded program, including the process for maintaining records and verifying the well-being of the children under the State's care.

What's happening now July 21, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Select Education.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 1123 Identical bill Violence Against Children Act of 2003
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 6
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Bishop, Sanford D.
Georgia · Oct 1, 2003
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2539: Violence Against Children Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2539/
MLA
"H.R. 2539: Violence Against Children Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2539/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2539, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2539/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2539: Violence Against Children Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2539/)
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