H.R. 9071 — Preventing Trafficking of Minors Act of 2026

This section expands the federal coercion and enticement statute to prohibit, in addition to persuading or coercing a minor under 18 to engage in prostitution or sexual activity, engaging in a commercial sex act with a minor, soliciting or patronizing a minor for a commercial sex act, paying for a commercial sex act with a minor, or entering a place with intent to do so, when using the mail, telephone, internet, or other interstate facility. It establishes that lack of knowledge of the victim’s age is not a defense, that force, fraud, or coercion need not be proven when the victim is a minor, and that involvement of undercover law enforcement posing as a minor is not a defense. It also increases the minimum prison term to 15 years (from 10 years) when the minor is under 14 years of age.

This section provides that if any provision of the Act is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act and its application to other persons or circumstances remains in effect.