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HR 3635 98th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Child abuse Children and youth Civil Rights and Liberties Crime prevention Criminal procedure and sentencing Electronic surveillance Families Forfeiture Government paperwork Pornography Right of privacy Searches and seizures Sex crimes Sex-oriented businesses Wiretapping

Child Protection Act of 1983

Introduced: July 21, 1983 See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 20 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 21, 1984
Became Public Law No: 98-292.
May 21, 1984
Signed by President.
May 10, 1984
Presented to President.
May 10, 1984
Measure Signed in Senate.
May 8, 1984
House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
May 8, 1984
Resolving differences -- House actions: House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
Mar 30, 1984
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Mar 30, 1984
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Mar 30, 1984
Considered by Senate.
Nov 15, 1983
Received in the Senate. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 566.
Nov 14, 1983
Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 400 - 1 (Record Vote No: 494).
Nov 14, 1983
Passed/agreed to in House: Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 400 - 1 (Record Vote No: 494).
Nov 14, 1983
Called up by House Under Suspension of Rules.
Nov 10, 1983
Placed on Union Calendar No: 306.
Nov 10, 1983
Reported to House (Amended) by House Committee on The Judiciary. Report No: 98-536.
Oct 4, 1983
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Oct 4, 1983
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jul 21, 1983
For Previous Action See H.R.3062.
Jul 21, 1983
Referred to House Committee on The Judiciary.
Jul 21, 1983
Introduced in House
 Amendments to this bill 1

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 2,873 — In the nature of a substitute. Agreed to Mar 30, 1984
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Child Protection Act of 1983 - Amends the Federal criminal code dealing with the sexual exploitation of children. Increases the penalties for the sexual exploitation of children from $10,000 to $100,000 and, on a subsequent conviction from $15,000 to $200,000.

Prohibits the distribution involving the sexual exploitation of minors even if the material is not found to be "obscene."

Eliminates the requirement that persons distributing such material in interstate commerce do so for purposes of sale.

Raises the age of a minor to include any person under the age of eighteen.

Redefines "sexually explicit conduct" to exclude simulated conduct when there is little or no possibility of harm to the minor and when there is redeeming social, literary, educational, scientific or artistic value.

Permits authorization for the interception of wire or oral communications in the investigation of such offenses.

What's happening now May 21, 1984

Became Public Law No: 98-292.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 3062 Related bill Federal Anti-Child Pornography Act of 1983
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Smith, Christopher H.
New Jersey · Sep 14, 1983
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3635: Child Protection Act of 1984. 98th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/98-HR-3635/
MLA
"H.R. 3635: Child Protection Act of 1984." 98th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/98-HR-3635/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3635, 98th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/98-HR-3635/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3635: Child Protection Act of 1984](https://openamerica.io/bill/98-HR-3635/)
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