Rep. Nadler (D-N.Y.) Urges Funds to Eliminate Backlog of Unanalyzed Rape Evidence

by Mindy Davis, NOW Communications Intern

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) appealed to the Republican House leadership on Sept. 26 on behalf of two bills—the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act and the Rape Kit DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act—that would provide funds to analyze stored DNA evidence from sexual assaults.

As many as 500,000 "rape kits" are currently waiting to be analyzed in police departments across the country because law enforcement agencies say they can't pay the cost of the tests.

The Senate approved the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act in August, granting $15 million annually for DNA testing of convicted felons, $75 million annually to test rape kits and $150 million over five years to train medical professionals to collect evidence from a sexual assault. If passed in the House, it would allow police departments to utilize these rape kits and convict sex offenders. It would also potentially clear charges of those who have been wrongly convicted of rape.

The Rape Kit DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act, introduced in March, would provide $250 million in funding to eliminate the backlog of rape kits.

On Sept. 26, Nadler said that both bills would be an immediate benefit to people across the U.S., especially to those who are victims of rape and sexual assault. "It is time for Congress to lend a hand to our law enforcement officers and provide them with the funds needed to solve these crimes and put rapists behind bars."

NOW President Kim Gandy, who joined Rep. Nadler on Capitol Hill when he introduced the legislation in March, urged federal funding to eliminate the backlog of unanalyzed rape kits.

"NOW's local activists report that in many jurisdictions the victim must pay for the processing of the 'rape kit' evidence—an absurdly unfair proposition," Gandy said. "Is there any other assault in which survivors are required to pay the cost of investigating the crimes against them?"

For more information:
NOW Urges Funds For DNA Testing of Rape Evidence