S. 3704Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

COP Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 19, 2026 at 3:52 AM UTC

The Combating Online Predators Act amends federal child‑exploitation laws to make it illegal to threaten a minor—or someone the offender believes is a minor—to create or share sexual‑exploitation images. By adding a specific threat offense to the existing child‑pornography statutes, the bill aims to deter predators who use intimidation to obtain illegal content. It targets anyone who uses interstate or online communications to issue such threats.

Key Provisions

Creates a new federal crime for knowingly distributing, offering, sending, or providing a threat to a minor (or someone believed to be a minor) to create or transmit a visual depiction of sexual abuse.
Applies the threat offense to both material involving sexual exploitation of minors (18 U.S.C. §2252A) and material constituting child pornography (18 U.S.C. §2252).
Specifies that the threat must be made in or affect interstate or foreign commerce, covering online and other cross‑state communications.
Updates the existing statutes to reference the new threat provision alongside existing child‑exploitation offenses.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 27, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

January 27, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 27, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued January 27, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3704

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 27, 2026

Mrs. Moody introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit threats to a minor, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Combating Online Predators Act or the COP Act.

Prohibiting threats to a minor

(a)

Material involving the sexual exploitation of minors

Section 2252A of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in paragraph (6), by striking illegal; or and inserting illegal;;

(B)

in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and

(C)

by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:

(8)

knowingly distributes, offers, sends, or provides, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a threat to distribute—

(A)

a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, or

(B)

a visual depiction of a person the defendant believes is a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct,

with the intent that the minor, or the person the defendant believes is a minor, create or transmit a visual depiction of any minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct,

; and

(2)

in subsection (b), by striking or (6) and inserting (6), or (8).

(b)

Material constituting or containing child pornography

Section 2252 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by striking or at the end;

(B)

in paragraph (4)(B)(ii), by inserting or after the semicolon; and

(C)

by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:

(5)

knowingly distributes, offers, sends, or provides, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a threat to distribute—

(A)

a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, or

(B)

a visual depiction of a person the defendant believes is a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct,

with the intent that the minor, or the person the defendant believes is a minor, create or transmit a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct,

;

(2)

in subsection (b)(2), by inserting or (5) after paragraph (4); and

(3)

in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting or (5) after paragraph (4).