[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 148 (Monday, November 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7405-H7406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING GAIL ABARBANEL AND THE RAPE TREATMENT CENTER
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 716) recognizing Gail Abarbanel and the Rape
Treatment Center, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 716
Whereas in a study conducted by the Department of Justice
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
researchers found that 1 in 6 women are victims of rape or
attempted rape;
Whereas on average, a person is sexually assaulted in the
United States every 2\1/2\ minutes;
Whereas Gail Abarbanel, the founder and director of the
Rape Treatment Center at the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical
Center, created the Fast Track Forensics Program, an
innovative program that speeds up the processing of DNA
evidence to assist local law enforcement agencies;
Whereas delays in processing rape kits hamper
investigations, jeopardize public safety, and result in lost
justice for the victims who report their rape to the police
and consent to the 4- to 6-hour rape kit collection process;
Whereas the Rape Treatment Center is nationally recognized
for its exemplary treatment, education, and prevention
programs; and
Whereas the work of Gail Abarbanel and the Rape Treatment
Center helps sexual assault victims become whole again by
addressing the social, emotional, and physical pain resulting
from the violence of sexual assault: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) applauds Gail Abarbanel for founding the Rape Treatment
Center and creating the Fast Track Forensics Program;
(2) commends the Rape Treatment Center for its work in
providing the necessary services to victims of sexual
assault;
(3) calls upon local law enforcement agencies and State
legislatures to work towards eliminating the delays in
processing rape kits by utilizing innovative programs such as
the Fast Track Forensics Program; and
(4) urges the Congress to support programs that facilitate
the timely processing of DNA evidence to assist local law
enforcement agencies.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
{time} 1440
General Leave
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. CONYERS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Gail Abarbanel is the director of the Santa Monica UCLA
Medical Center's nationally known Rape Treatment Center. In 1974, the
center became one of the first hospitals in the United States for
establishing a protocol for treating victims of sexual assault. Today,
under the leadership of Ms. Abarbanel, the Rape Treatment Center serves
as a national model for its exemplary treatment, education, and
prevention programs.
She is also responsible for innovative programs such as the Stuart
House for sexually abused children and the Verna Harrah Clinic to
provide state-of-the-
[[Page H7406]]
art medical care and forensic exams to rape victims. She was a driving
force behind efforts to change the way rape and other sexual crimes are
viewed in society and how victims are treated by law enforcement
officials and medical personnel, and, most importantly, the judicial
system itself.
I commend Representative Patrick Kennedy for introducing this
resolution to recognize Ms. Abarbanel's groundbreaking work on behalf
of sexual assault victims.
I urge Members to support the resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support House Resolution 716, which
commends Gail Abarbanel for her dedication to advancing forensic
sciences and reducing the DNA evidence backlog. Ms. Abarbanel is the
founder of the Rape Treatment Center at the Santa Monica UCLA Medical
Center, where she established the Fast Track Forensics Program.
I would like to thank a good friend and colleague, Patrick Kennedy,
for his sponsorship of this bill, as well as for his longstanding
dedication to people in need. His compassion for others will be
remembered and missed after he leaves Congress later this year.
One of the most significant issues facing the criminal justice system
today is the substantial backlog of unanalyzed DNA samples and
biological evidence from crime scenes. This issue is particularly
urgent in sexual assault and murder cases.
The Fast Track Forensics Program was developed by Gail Abarbanel to
help crime laboratories speed up the processing of DNA evidence. This
in turn gives local law enforcement agencies a headstart on bringing
criminals to justice.
DNA evidence is important in cases where a suspect has been
identified and proof is needed to link the suspect to a crime scene or
victim. It is equally important in cases where there is no suspect. In
a case without a suspect, DNA from the crime scene or the victim can be
compared to offender profiles in DNA databases in an effort to identify
and apprehend the perpetrator. DNA technology that improves the
analysis process is increasingly vital to ensure accuracy and fairness
in the criminal justice system.
In 2008, Congress reauthorized the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant
Program, which provides Federal grants to States to help fund
initiatives such as the Fast Track Forensics Program. Programs designed
to help alleviate DNA backlogs are imperative in ensuring that this
forensic evidence is preserved, tested, and used in criminal cases to
bring violent offenders to justice. Congress must continue its
commitment to assisting backlog initiatives. This is especially true
for rape and sexual assault cases.
In the United States, a person is sexually assaulted every 2\1/2\
minutes. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, the
Nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization, one of every six
American women will be the victim of an attempted or actual rape in her
lifetime. With the use of DNA, our State and local law enforcement
agencies and officials can bring these attackers to justice.
The development of programs such as the Fast Track Forensics Program
is important to our criminal justice system. I urge my colleagues to
support this resolution.
I yield back the balance my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to congratulate the author of this resolution, Mr. Patrick
Kennedy, and also his original cosponsors, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, Mr.
Waxman, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Berman, Mr. Wexler and
Ms. Rosa DeLauro. I think this is an excellent resolution. I thank the
ranking member for his remarks.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of H. Res. 716, a
resolution recognizing the crucial services provided through the Rape
Treatment Center, RTC, at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and to honor
Gail Abarbanel, the founder and director of the RTC.
The Rape Treatment Center, RTC, is nationally recognized for its
exemplary treatment, education, and prevention programs, and has
provided expert care for over 35,000 sexual assault victims. According
to the latest statistics, one person is sexually assaulted in the
United States every 2\1/2\ minutes. While an attack can occur in an
instant, the social and emotional trauma can last a lifetime. The RTC,
and the work of Gail Abarbanel, provide crucial insight to
understanding that sexual assault victims suffer long after the assault
has occurred. Her work and the work of the Center helps these
individuals fully recover, addressing the social, emotional and
physical pain resulting from such violence.
In many states DNA evidence processing suffers delays of up to 6
months to a year, hampering investigations and jeopardizing public
safety. These untested rape kits represent lost justice for the victims
who reported their rape to the police, and consented to the 4-to-6 hour
rape kit collection process.
In response to the delays suffered by victims in her own state, Ms.
Abarbanel created a pilot program called the Fast Track Forensics
Program, FTF. Through the FTF Program, the RTC has partnered with
California's state DNA laboratory for immediate processing and then
possible identification within the state and Federal DNA offender
databases. This has resulted in processing that takes approximately 4
days.
I encourage my colleagues to join me today in commending the
important work of Gail Abarbanel and the Rape Treatment Center, along
with emphasizing the need to eliminate the delays in testing rape kits
through innovative programs such as the FTF Program.
Mr. CONYERS. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 716.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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