Sen. Cruz Hosts Roundtable on TREY’s Law to Protect Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) yesterday hosted a roundtable on the Terminating Restrictive Enforcement of Youth Settlements (TREY'S Law) with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), U.S. Rep. Bob Onder (R-Mo.-3), Elizabeth Phillips, and child sexual abuse and trafficking advocacy groups. The roundtable focused on protecting survivors from non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that restrict them from speaking about their abuse and advancing TREY'S Law in the House of Representatives.

TREY'S Law, bipartisan legislation led by Sens. Ted Cruz and Kirsten Gillibrand addresses the misuse of non-disclosure agreements in civil cases involving child sexual abuse and trafficking. TREY'S Law unanimously passed the Senate in May 2026. Companion legislation is being led in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Brandon Gill (R-Texas-26) and Julie Johnson (D-Texas-32).

Click here or on the image above to watch the full roundtable.

Please see below for Sen. Cruz's opening remarks as prepared for delivery:

"Thank you, everyone, for being here today. I especially want to thank my friends and colleagues for joining me-Senator Britt; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who is co-sponsoring this legislation with me and will join us later; and Representatives Gill and Johnson.

"Thank you for your continued work, advocacy, and for joining me in fighting to make sure TREY'S Law is passed and sent to President Trump's desk.

"I especially want to thank Elizabeth Phillips - Trey's sister - who is the reason we are all here today and for making sure that Trey Carlock's story is heard.

"I want to begin by sharing that story.

"Trey was a young man who loved the Lord, loved his family, loved his friends, and proudly resided in my home state of Texas. As a young boy, he attended a summer camp in Branson, Missouri, where he and dozens of other campers were sexually assaulted by the camp director.

"As an adult, Trey sought accountability. He sought justice. And Trey filed a lawsuit against the camp he attended to hold the camp responsible and to seek justice for himself and for others.

"But instead of justice, Trey was offered a settlement. And that settlement came with a nondisclosure agreement, which mandated Trey's silence.

"After years of fighting to recover from abuse, Trey's settlement buried his story and denied him justice.

"Trey once told his therapist, "They will always control me, and I'll never be free."

"Not long after, Trey died by suicide. He was only 28 years old.

"No child who has endured sexual abuse should be forced to carry that horror in silence. No child should be forced to walk alone in that pain. And no child should be forced to accept agreements that protect their abusers.

"In Trey's case, and in many others, nondisclosure agreements are used to shield the abuser.

"As legislators, as parents, and as human beings, we have a moral obligation to stand between children and those who would harm them.

"That is why I introduced TREY'S Law.

"TREY'S Law will protect, defend, and support children who are victims of sexual assault. It ensures that nondisclosure agreements cannot be used to silence minors who have endured abuse and preserves the confidentiality of settlement amounts and allows victims themselves to insist on privacy if they choose to do so. This legislation also prohibits and prevents the silencing of victims to protect abusers.

"Versions of TREY'S Law have already passed in Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, California, and other states have taken steps to prohibit the use of NDAs in cases of child sexual abuse. These are meaningful steps in the right direction, but we owe it to Trey and every victim to ensure that they have the right to speak about their experiences. That they have the right to rely on those around them. That they know that their stories will not be silenced. And most importantly, that they are not alone.

"This year, TREY'S Law passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously with every Senator - Republican and Democrat - joining on as a cosponsor. And back in May, I went to the Senate Floor to propound a unanimous consent request to take up and pass Trey's Law. And I am proud to say the legislation passed the Senate unanimously and is now waiting for a House vote.

"We need to make sure that no child feels controlled or defeated by the system that is supposed to deliver them justice. And by passing this legislation, and having it signed into law, we can do just that.

"I again want to thank my colleagues in the House - Representatives Gill and Johnson - for introducing companion legislation, and to my colleagues in the Senate - Senators Gillibrand and Britt - for working with me to pass this legislation in the Senate."

Click here to read more about the bill.

BACKGROUND

TREY'S Law prevents the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence survivors of child sexual abuse and trafficking. The bill makes any NDA provision unenforceable if it prohibits or restricts someone from disclosing the sexual abuse of a minor or facts related to that abuse. This protection applies regardless of when the NDA was signed, whether before a dispute arose or as part of a civil settlement agreement.

The bill is named in honor of Trey Carlock, a beloved citizen of Dallas, Texas, who was silenced by an NDA after enduring a retraumatizing civil litigation process against Kanakuk Ministries. He ultimately died by suicide at age 28.