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Congressman Cohen to Budget Negotiators: Include $5 Million to Fight Rape Kit Backlog in Gov’t Funding Bill

November 25, 2014

[MEMPHIS, TN] – With time running out for this Congress to pass a budget for next year, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today led a coalition of 18 Members of Congress in urging appropriators to include in their forthcoming budget compromise bill $5 million aimed at cutting through the backlog of untested rape kits that he secured in the House-passed Fiscal Year 2015 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. In May, an amendment authored by Congressman Cohen to add this important funding passed the House on a voice vote. The same funding level was approved just a week later by the Senate Appropriations Committee and now awaits action in the full Senate.

“Absolutely no one should be a victim of sexual assault, but it is a travesty when communities are terrorized simply because evidence that could be used to prevent these crimes sits untested on a shelf somewhere,” said Congressman Cohen. “We know that, if tested, these rape kits could have helped catch perpetrators and prevent additional attacks. We must do more to cut through this backlog—it’s the least we can do to give victims the justice they deserve and it is an imperative if we want to keep our communities safe from predators. My provision to provide additional funding to reduce the rape kit backlog is a step in the right direction, and it should be included in next year’s budget.”

Untested rape kits are a significant public safety hazard that prevents law enforcement from apprehending violent criminals, increases the risk of additional crimes, and robs victims of the justice they deserve. Congressman Cohen authored a deficit-neutral provision to transfer $5 million in federal funds to a new grant program focused specifically on helping law enforcement agencies cut through their sexual assault kit backlogs. The additional funding would increase the grant program’s budget by nearly 15%, from $36 million to $41 million, and increase Memphis’ chance of receiving the funding necessary to significantly reduce its current backlog, which has been described as the largest in the nation.

Joining Congressman Cohen in signing his letter to appropriators (pdf available here) today are Reps. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), David Cicilline (RI-01), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Elijah Cummings (MD-07), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Steve Israel (NY-03), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Kerek Kilmer (WA-06), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Jackie Speier (CA-14), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Niki Tsongas (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-51), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24).

Text of Congressman Cohen’s letter to appropriators follows:

Dear Chairman Rogers, Chairman Wolf, Ranking Member Lowey and Ranking Member Fattah:

Thank you for the strong support you have shown for reducing the backlog of untested sexual assault kits. We appreciate the $36 million you included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill specifically to reduce the backlog of untested kits at law enforcement agencies and we were pleased that this was increased to $41 million during House floor consideration. As you work toward final legislation that will fund the government through the end of FY 2015, we ask that you include at least $41 million for this important program.

Untested rape kits are a significant public safety hazard that prevents law enforcement from apprehending violent criminals, increases the risk of additional crimes, and robs victims of the justice they deserve. DNA analysis has been revolutionary in helping to catch criminals and prevent crimes from occurring in the first place. But this evidence does us no good if it remains untested and sitting on a shelf in a lab somewhere. Despite progress over the last few years, the number of untested rape kits continues to number in the hundreds of thousands and with state and local governments tightening their belts, significant federal assistance is needed.

The funds included in the House’s FY 2015 CJS Appropriations bill for reducing the sexual assault kit backlog at law enforcement agencies is an important down payment toward solving this problem once and for all. The Senate Appropriations Committee included the same amount in its FY 2015 CJS Appropriations bill, demonstrating strong support on both sides of the Capitol. We hope that you will work together to ensure that any omnibus appropriations bill or continuing resolution include at least $41 million for this critical program.

Sincerely,