Date: 2014-04-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Let me thank the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Crime. the chairman and ranking member of the full committee. and Mrs. MALONEY for their leadership. I was on the Crime Subcommittee as this bill was introduced. I was eager to see it work its will in that early timeframe in the backdrop of the courage of Debbie Smith. I also recognize Natasha Alexenko. who I understand is a constituent of Mr. SCOTT. Those were the early days in 2001 when we were finding out all over the Nation that rape kits were actually lost. My city was no different. This is an important reauthorization because of the grant programs that are provided. In particular. the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act authorizes $151 million in grants for State and local DNA labs to address DNA backlogs. As I indicated. in my own hometown. we were faced with backlogs and lost kits as well. The DNA training and technical assistance is extremely important. helping law enforcement. courts. and forensic scientists. For DNA training and technical assistance. $30 million is directed to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner programs. There is nothing more lonely than to be raped and then. on top of it. not see your case pursued. I want to thank the Houston Area Womens Center. which involves itself in sexual violence against women. as well as Kathryn Griffin. who has worked with prostitutes and others who have actually been raped. In Houston. decadesold rape kits that sat untested have identified at least onethird of potential offenders in cases where there was sufficient DNA. according to the Houston Police Department. And I congratulate the city of Houston. Combined with dollars from the Debbie Smith Reauthorization and the citys own investment. we now have a new DNA lab that is open and ready for business to ensure that the victims of crime and sexual assault are not left along the highway of despair. In my district alone. 6.600 rape kits have been cleared as of August 2013. That is an important step forward. I also look forward to continuing to work on issues dealing with DNA of those who involve themselves in human trafficking in a national database. I also want to give another reason why this is extremely important. As I left Houston. in my own congressional district. we found that. unfortunately. the State of Texas decided to put 23 violent sexual offenders in a neighborhood in what is called a halfway house. Those individuals are at the back side of their incarceration. Mr. Speaker. I would say that it is a dangerous set of circumstances when these individuals will be among children and women and be without the necessary security in a neighborhood. And so this DNA for rape kits is one aspect of the need that is being addressed in helping women. again. not feel lonely and left without refuge and the ability to access justice. I support H.R. 4323. I ask my colleagues to support it. and remember there is a larger and broader picture we must look at in order to address the violence against women. Mr. Speaker. as a senior member of both the Judiciary Committee and a cosponsor. I rise in strong support of H.R. 4323. the "Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2014." which reauthorizes three grant programs to address DNA backlogs and provide DNA training and technical assistance on local. state. and federal levels. It is essential that these programs be reauthorized so that the backlog of unprocessed rape kits can be reduced and then eliminated and perpetrators of sexual assault crimes can be prosecuted and convicted. There is an everpresent need to continue robust funding for programs such as the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program in order to make sure victims do not fall through the cracks of the system. Women who have been raped have a right to expect police to thoroughly investigate the case and prosecute the offenders. however. many rape kits across the country are never even tested. and the perpetrators never face justice. Mr. Speaker. the number of backlogged DNA samples was in excess of 100.000 nationwide as recently as January 2010. H.R. 4323 reauthorizes for four years (until the end of fiscal year 2019) the following programs: 1. "Debbie Smith Reauthorization" ($151 million/fiscal year): grants for state and local DNA crime laboratories to address DNA backlogs and enhance their capacity. 2. DNA training and technical assistance ($12.5 million/fiscal year): directed to law enforcement. courts. forensic scientists. and corrections. 3. DNA training and technical assistance ($30 million/fiscal year): directed to sexual assault nurse examiner ("SANE") programs. In my congressional district. these grant programs have resulted in forensic laboratories being hired to clear much of the Houston Police Departments backlog of untested DNA benefit from this type of legislation. Just within the past year. decadesold rape kits that sat untested in Houston have identified at least onethird of potential offenders in cases where there was sufficient DNA. according to the Houston Police Department. In my district more than 6.600 rape kits have been cleared as of August 2013 because of the funding made possible by the grant programs that H.R. 4323 will reauthorize. This record of success highlights the importance and continuing need to provide adequate funding so law enforcement agencies can conduct necessary DNA testing and training. Mr. Speaker. the DNA Initiative is an invaluable tool for law enforcement today. and it will continue to be a legislative priority of mine. That is why I am pleased to cosponsor H.R. 4323 and urge my colleagues to join me in voting to approve this critically important legislation.