Child Protection Act of 2012

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on August 1, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Child Protection Act of 2012 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 20 years for transporting, receiving, distributing, selling, or possessing pornographic images of a child under the age of 12.

Requires a U.S. district court to issue a protective order prohibiting harassment or intimidation of a minor victim or witness if the court finds evidence that the conduct at issue is reasonably likely to adversely affect the willingness of the minor witness or victim to testify or otherwise participate in a federal criminal case or investigation.

Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend the federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements to ensure that such guidelines provide an additional penalty for sex trafficking of children and other child abuse crimes.

Allows the Director of the U.S. Marshals Service to issue an administrative subpoena for the investigation of unregistered sex offenders by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Amends the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 to: (1) double the amount that the Attorney General may award a non-law enforcement agency entity annually to establish and conduct training courses for National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program task force members and other law enforcement officials, (2) require the Attorney General to designate a senior official at the Department of Justice (DOJ) with experience in investigating or prosecuting child exploitation cases as the National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction to be responsible for coordinating the development of the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, (3) authorize appropriations for carrying out such strategy for FY2014-FY2018, (4) delete a requirement that the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System identify high-priority suspects based on the volume of suspected criminal activity, and (5) require the Attorney General to report within 90 days after enactment of this Act on the status of the establishment of such System.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov