January 13, 2026
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
To prohibit threats to a minor, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Combating Online Predators Act
or the COP Act
.
Sec. 2. 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)
.