Congressman Cohen's $5 Million Provision to Fight Rape Kit Backlog Approved by U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Five million dollars to help eliminate the national rape kit backlog that Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) secured in the House-passed Fiscal Year 2015 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill was approved by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee this morning. With the $5 million added through an amendment authored by Congressman Cohen in the House last week, the FY2015 CJS Appropriations bill is now very likely to include a total of $41 million specifically targeted at cutting through the backlog of nearly 400,000 untested sexual assault kits across the nation, including 12,000 in Memphis—more than anywhere else in the country.

“I’m pleased the full Senate is set to consider my proposal for more funding to help eliminate the Memphis rape kit backlog,” said Congressman Cohen. “Absolutely no one should be a victim of sexual assault, and 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. 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.”

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. Video of Congressman Cohen introducing and speaking in support of his amendment last week, prior to it being included by voice-vote in the House-passed CJS Appropriations bill, is available here.