[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 92 (Friday, June 25, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 S. 1196 A BILL TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY, TIMELINESS, AND CREDIBILITY OF 
        FORENSIC SCIENCE SERVICES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PURPOSES

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                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 25, 1999

  Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise to day to urge my colleagues to 
support a bill I introduced yesterday which will improve the quality, 
timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services for criminal 
justice purposes. I proudly sponsored the House companion to this bill.
  With passage of this bill, the Congress will affirm to our law 
enforcement professionals that we care enough to provide them with the 
expertise that they need to do their jobs in an expeditious manner.
  Across the country, state and local crime labs, Medical Examiners' 
and Coroners' offices face alarming shortages in forensic science 
resources. We see and hear of great advances in technology in all 
aspects of our lives. Yet, in my State of Georgia, the Georgia Bureau 
of Investigation headquarters in Decatur, Georgia must still catalog 
its cases manually. This is not right, Mr. Speaker. Our forensic labs 
lack the funding to create computer networks that would connect not 
only their forensic equipment with internal computers, but would also 
allow them to share information with crime labs across the country.
  In a 1996 national survey of 299 crime labs, it was found that 8 out 
or 10 labs have experienced a growth in their caseloads which exceeds 
the growth in their budget. Crime data need to be processed using the 
latest technological advances, in an expeditious a manner as possible 
to ensure that all parties; interest are served.
  The National Forensic Science Improvement Act has been endorsed by 
organizations such as the National Governors Association, the National 
Association of Attorneys General, the Association of State Criminal 
Investigative Agencies, and the International Association of Chiefs of 
Police.
  This is common sense legislation Mr. Speaker. I urge all my 
colleagues to cosponsor and support this bill when it comes to the 
floor.




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