III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 422 

Supporting the mission and goals of 2016 ‘‘National Crime Victims’ Rights 

Week’’, which include increasing public awareness of the rights, needs, 

concerns of, and services available to assist victims and survivors of 

crime in the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 13, 2016 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. HATCH, Mr. 

TOOMEY, Mr. SESSIONS, and Mrs. FEINSTEIN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the mission and goals of 2016 ‘‘National Crime 

Victims’ Rights Week’’, which include increasing public 

awareness of the rights, needs, concerns of, and services 

available to assist victims and survivors of crime in the 

United States. 

Whereas individuals in the United States are the victims of 

more than 20,000,000 crimes each year; 

Whereas crime can touch the lives of anyone, irrespective of 

age, race, national origin, religion, or gender; 

Whereas a just society acknowledges the impact of crime on 

individuals, families, schools, and communities by— 

(1) protecting the rights of crime victims and survivors; and 


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(2) ensuring that resources and services are available to help rebuild the lives of the victims and survivors; 

Whereas, as of 2008, the most conservative estimate for the 

economic cost of violent and property crimes in the 

United States was $17,000,000,000 per year; 

Whereas that economic cost does not account for the struggle 

of a crime victim to be made whole or losses that result 

from being the victim of a crime, including losses of psychological, emotional, and physical well-being; 

Whereas despite impressive accomplishments between 1974 

and 2016 in increasing the rights of, and services available to, crime victims and survivors and the families of 

the victims and survivors, many challenges remain to ensure that all crime victims and survivors and the families 

of the victims and survivors are— 

(1) treated with dignity, fairness, and respect; 

(2) offered support and services, regardless of 

whether the victims and survivors report crimes committed against them; and 

(3) recognized as key participants within the criminal, juvenile, Federal, and tribal justice systems in the 

United States when the victims and survivors report 

crimes; 

Whereas crime victims and survivors in the United States 

and the families of the victims and survivors need and 

deserve support and assistance to help cope with the 

often devastating consequences of crime; 

Whereas, during each year beginning in 1984 through 2015, 

communities across the United States joined Congress 

and the Department of Justice in commemorating ‘‘National Crime Victims’ Rights Week’’ to celebrate a shared 


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vision of a comprehensive and collaborative response that 

identifies and addresses the many needs of crime victims 

and survivors and the families of the victims and survivors; 

Whereas Congress and the President agree on the need for 

a renewed commitment to serve all victims and survivors 

of crime in the 21st century; 

Whereas the theme of 2016 ‘‘National Crime Victims’ Rights 

Week’’, celebrated during the week of April 10 through 

April 16, 2016, is ‘‘Serving Victims; Building Trust; Restoring Hope’’ and highlights the collaborative and multifaceted effort to provide comprehensive and quality support to survivors; 

Whereas engaging communities in victim assistance is essential to promoting individual and public safety; 

Whereas the United States must empower crime victims and 

survivors by— 

(1) protecting the legal rights of the victims and 

survivors; and 

(2) providing the victims and survivors with services 

to help them in the aftermath of crime; and 

Whereas the people of the United States recognize and appreciate the continued importance of— 

(1) promoting the rights of and services for crime 

victims and survivors; and 

(2) honoring crime victims and survivors and individuals who provide services for the victims and survivors: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the mission and goals of 2016 

3 ‘‘National Crime Victims’ Rights Week’’, which inVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:17 Apr 14, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR422.ATS SR422

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1 clude increasing individual and public awareness 

2 of— 

3 (A) the impact of crime on victims and 

4 survivors and the families of the victims and 

5 survivors; 

6 (B) the challenges to achieving justice for 

7 victims and survivors of crime and the families 

8 of the victims and survivors; and 

9 (C) the many solutions to meet those chal10 lenges; and 

11 (2) recognizes that crime victims and survivors 

12 and the families of the victims and survivors should 

13 be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. 

Æ 


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