Leahy-Backed Grant Program Reauthorization
To Address DNA Backlogs Passes Senate

 

WASHINGTON (Thursday, September 25, 2008) – Legislation championed by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Joe Biden (D-Del.) to authorize grants for the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program was passed unanimously by the Senate Thursday.  Leahy and Biden have been longtime leaders in authoring legislation to provide resources to federal, state and local governments to combat crime in communities across the country.

 

The Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program was authorized in 2004 as part of the Justice for All Act, which provides needed resources and grant money to state and local governments to combat crime with DNA technology.  The bill that passed Thursday authorizes $755 million over the next five years to reduce the current backlog of unanalyzed DNA samples in crime labs across the country.  The grant program provides resources to help carry out DNA analyses of backlogged evidence.

 

“Backlogs have seriously impeded the use of DNA testing in solving cases without suspects – and reexamining cases in which there are strong claims of innocence – as labs are required to give priority status to those cases in which a suspect is known,” said Leahy.  “Solely for lack of funding, critical evidence remains untested while rapists and killers remain at large.”

 

Leahy continued, “I am glad that the Senate has passed it, and I hope the House promptly passes this version of the bill, and the President promptly signs it.  I hope too that Congress fully funds this important program.”

 

The grant program is named for Debbie Smith.  A victim of rape herself, Smith worked with Leahy, Biden and others to establish the grant program.  In her own case, DNA testing led to the arrest and conviction of her attacker.  The processing backlog, however, forced her to wait before her attacker was identified and justice could be done.

 

The bill now heads to the House for approval. 

 

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Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy,

Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,

On The Passage Of H.R. 5057, The “Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act”

September 25, 2008

 

I am pleased that the Senate has passed the reauthorization of the Debbie Smith Act.  I want to thank Senator Biden for his leadership in the Senate in supporting this important program, and I was pleased to work with him and others, as I have before, to ensure that the Debbie Smith grant program is given the authorization to continue its vital work.

 

I should take this opportunity to thank Debbie Smith for her courage and for the tireless efforts of her and her husband, Rob, on behalf of rape victims.  In her own case, DNA testing led to the arrest and conviction of her attacker, but the backlog of rape kits waiting to be tested forced her to endure an excruciating wait before the culprit could be found and justice could be done.  The legislation that she inspired and worked so hard to pass aims to ensure that other victims do not have to live in fear through a long and unnecessary delay.

 

In 2004, after years of work, Congress passed a significant package of criminal justice reforms known as the Justice for All Act, which substantially increased Federal resources available to State and local governments to combat crime with DNA technology.  The Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program was a key component of that legislation.  I worked hard for years to try to get the Debbie Smith Act passed, and I was thrilled in 2004 to finally be able to call Debbie to tell her that our hard work had paid off.  I have pushed every year since for full funding of this crucial program.

 

As DNA testing moved to the front lines of the war on crime, forensic laboratories nationwide experienced a significant increase in their caseloads, both in number and complexity.  Funding simply did not keep pace with this increasing demand, and forensic labs nationwide became seriously bottlenecked. 

 

Backlogs have seriously impeded the use of DNA testing in solving cases without suspects – and reexamining cases in which there are strong claims of innocence – as labs are required to give priority status to those cases in which a suspect is known.  Solely for lack of funding, critical evidence remains untested while rapists and killers remain at large. 

 

The Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program has given States help they desperately needed, and continue to need, to carry out DNA analyses of backlogged evidence.  It has provided a strong starting point in addressing this serious problem, but much work remains to be done before we conquer these inexcusable backlogs.  That is why I so strongly support reauthorization of this vital program.

 

Some in both chambers have expressed a desire to expand and improve this program and other DNA testing programs.  I share those goals and will work with others to pursue them next year.  It is very important, though, that we reauthorize the Debbie Smith program now, when we can and should, and turn to more difficult tasks in the next Congress when we will be able to give them the attention they require.

 

This reauthorization bill authorizes $755 million over the next five years to reduce the current backlog of unanalyzed DNA samples in the Nation’s crime labs.  I am glad that the Senate has passed it, and I hope the House promptly passes this version of the bill, and the President promptly signs it.  I hope too that Congress fully funds this important program.

 

I want to make one point on the issue of rape kit testing, which this legislation does so much to promote and which Debbie Smith has worked so hard to make available for all victims of horrendous attacks.  No victim should ever be required to pay the cost of a rape kit.  Collecting and testing evidence from serious crimes is a responsibility our government and our community bears, and it should never be seen as a revenue source for cities and towns.  It appalls me that any official in any community would condone such a practice, and I hope it will stop.

 

I congratulate Debbie and Rob Smith on this key step toward the reauthorization of this important program, and I look forward to working with them to continue to find ways to protect women, assist crime victims, and bring criminals to justice.

 

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