Cohen and Maloney Secure Additional $4 million to Help Eliminate Rape Kit Backlog in Omnibus Spending Bill

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) today hailed the inclusion of an additional $4 million in the final Omnibus Fiscal Year 2016 spending bill for local law enforcement agencies working to reduce their backlogs of untested rape kits. The additional $4 million was added earlier this year via an amendment offered by Congressman Cohen and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. This year’s increase builds upon a $5 million increase Congressman Cohen secured last year, increasing the overall funding level to $45 million – a 25% increase over the past 2 years.

“DNA analysis has been revolutionary in helping catch criminals and prevent further crimes from occurring. But when evidence is sitting on a shelf somewhere waiting to be tested, that means assailants are still at large and could be assaulting more victims,” said Congressman Cohen. “The backlog of untested rape kits across this country is shameful, and we need to commit the resources necessary to get them tested. This increased funding will help make that happen, and I am grateful that it has been included.”

Video of the Congressman speaking on the floor about the inclusion of the $4 million increase in the Omnibus spending bill is available here.

“The rape kit backlog must be eliminated and these additional federal funds will help,” said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY). “I authored the Debbie Smith Act, and the SAFER Act which have helped process millions of kits, but still the backlog persists. I’m proud to have worked with Rep. Steve Cohen to secure $4 million more to help local law enforcement agencies put more rapists behind bars.”

If enacted, the $45 million will fund a grant program specifically created to help law enforcement agencies across the country cut through their sexual assault kit backlogs. At its peak, the backlog reached 12,000 untested kits in Memphis alone with an estimated 400,000 sitting in evidence rooms nationwide. Earlier this year, Memphis received nearly $2 million from this grant program to reduce its rape kit backlog.

Both the House and Senate are expected to vote on the FY2016 Omnibus funding bill later this week.