James T. Woods Act

Named after a victim, the James T. Woods Act creates new federal protections for children from online exploitation, coercion, and sextortion — targeting three distinct and growing threats. It makes it a federal crime, punishable by up to life in prison, to use threats, manipulation, extortion, or other coercive tactics to push a minor into attempting suicide, killing others, or inflicting serious physical harm on themselves or anyone else. The bill also criminalizes threatening to distribute child sexual abuse material (CSAM) as a weapon of blackmail or intimidation — even if no such material actually exists — adding up to 10 years to existing maximum sentences. A third component directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission (the body that sets advisory sentencing ranges for federal judges) to update its guidelines for CSAM offenses to reflect how these crimes have evolved, including organized exploitation networks, live-streamed abuse, and the use of technology to hide offenders' identities. Children and their families are the primary intended beneficiaries, while those convicted of CSAM and online exploitation offenses face significantly longer sentences. The bill's definition of "coerce" is notably broad — encompassing harassment, humiliation, and manipulation — which, while aimed squarely at protecting minors from serious harm, could be interpreted expansively in future prosecutions.