Skip to main content
H.R. 1808 115th Congress House

Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act of 2017

Official title: To amend and improve the Missing Children's Assistance Act, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 30, 2017 Introduced by: Brett Guthrie Republican · Kentucky See on congress.gov
Crime and Law Enforcement Adoption and foster careChild safety and welfareCrime preventionCrime victims
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Crimes against childrenCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationCriminal justice information and recordsElementary and secondary educationFamily relationshipsHuman traffickingInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaLaw enforcement administration and fundingPornographySex offensesTravel and tourism
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) 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 13 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 24, 2017
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
May 23, 2017
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
May 23, 2017
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4453-4454)
May 23, 2017
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H4453-4454)
May 23, 2017
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1808.
May 23, 2017
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4453-4457)
May 23, 2017
Mr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
May 4, 2017
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 64.
May 4, 2017
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 115-110.
Apr 4, 2017
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Apr 4, 2017
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 30, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Mar 30, 2017
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action May 24, 2017

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 4, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act of 2017

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Missing Children's Assistance Act to revise the findings to, among other things, specify that the growing numbers of children who are victims of child sexual exploitation include victims of child sex trafficking and sextortion.

(Sec. 3) The bill revises the definition of "missing child" to mean an individual under 18 years of age whose whereabouts are unknown to the individual's parent (currently, legal custodian). It specifies that a parent includes a legal guardian or an individual who functions as a parent (e.g., a grandparent).

(Sec. 4) It revises existing functions and duties of the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and adds new requirements for the NCMEC, including to:

  • provide training and technical assistance to help families, law enforcement agencies, and other entities respond to missing foster children and identify, locate, and recover child sex trafficking victims;
  • provide forensic and direct on-site technical assistance, including facial reconstruction of skeletal remains, to help families, law enforcement agencies, and other entities identify deceased children;
  • provide training, technical assistance, and information to help law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations identify and locate non-compliant sex offenders; and
  • develop and disseminate programs and information on sexting and sextortion to families, law enforcement agencies, and other entities.

(Sec. 6) The NCMEC must make publicly available the annual report on missing children and the incidence of attempted child abductions.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • S 3354 Missing Children's Assistance Act of 2018
  • S 1312 Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017
  • HR 4601 Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017
 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 19
All 19 Democratic 8 Republican 4
Rokita, Todd
· Apr 25, 2017
 R
Thompson, Glenn
Pennsylvania · Apr 25, 2017
 D
Adams, Alma S.
North Carolina · Apr 20, 2017
 D
Blunt Rochester, Lisa
Delaware · Apr 20, 2017
 D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · Apr 20, 2017
 D
DeSaulnier, Mark
California · Apr 20, 2017
 D
Espaillat, Adriano
New York · Apr 20, 2017
 D
Grijalva, Raúl M.
Arizona · Apr 20, 2017
Polis, Jared
· Apr 20, 2017
Sablan, Gregorio
· Apr 20, 2017
 D
Takano, Mark
California · Apr 20, 2017
 D
Wilson, Frederica S.
Florida · Apr 20, 2017
Ferguson, A.
· Apr 6, 2017
 R
Foxx, Virginia
North Carolina · Apr 6, 2017
Mitchell, Paul
· Apr 6, 2017
Roe, David
· Apr 6, 2017
 R
Walberg, Tim
Michigan · Apr 6, 2017
 R
Wilson, Joe
South Carolina · Apr 6, 2017
 D
Courtney, Joe
Connecticut · Mar 30, 2017
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1808: Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-1808/
MLA
"H.R. 1808: Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-1808/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1808, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-1808/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1808: Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-1808/)
Report a problem