By Carolyn Gusoff

February 18, 2026 / 5:27 PM EST / CBS New York

Sen. Chuck Schumer wants the federal government to do away with the statute of limitations on sex abuse and trafficking victims’ right to sue.

Wednesday, he stood with Long Island victims and advocates to call for the change.

Virginia’s Law named for Epstein accuser

Schumer introduced Virginia’s Law, named for Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein‘s earliest accusers. Giuffre advocated for victims’ rights for years before she died by suicide in 2025.

“For years, survivors of Epstein’s abuse were ignored, were doubted and were silenced,” Schumer said. “And even after the truth came out, too many were told by the legal system, ‘It’s too late.’ That is outrageous.”

Schumer said survivors should never be told that time matters more than truth, and he believes, based on the nearly unanimous vote in Congress for the release of the Epstein files, Virginia’s Law will pass with similar bipartisan support.

Opponents say removing the statue of limitations could lead to a flood of cases. The bill, if passed, could give many of Epstein’s victims the right to sue his estate.  

“Ten years is nothing”

Experts now know it can take decades for survivors to even talk about the abuse. They say the current federal 10-year statute of limitations can expire before victims are ready to seek justice as an adult.

“Ten years after the person turns 18, which is nothing, right? Twenty-eight, and maybe you were abused at 7, and maybe you come to terms with it at 30, maybe 40, so 10 years is nothing,” said Cate Carbonaro, executive director of the nonprofit The Retreat. “We don’t know what people go through. We don’t know when they’re going to be ready to talk about it, and so let’s get rid of the statute of limitations.”

Survivors joined Schumer at Wednesday’s press conference, including Laura Mullen, who said she was molested by her own grandfather as a child.

“Even at church. It’s happened at church in the basement, so like, it didn’t matter where. On the way to school, driving to school,” she said. “I was a child, a child who didn’t know any better.”

She remembered the fear and the shame surrounding her abuse, and said it took years before she was able to speak about it.

“I was always hiding this dark secret,” Mullen said.

Advocates say the average age survivors disclose abuse is 51. They argue the current statute protects abusers who try to run out the clock.