[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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