[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 87 (Friday, May 19, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017

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                               speech of

                  HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 16, 2017

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
510, the Rapid DNA Act of 2017.
  The Rapid DNA Act, or H.R. 510, will aid law enforcement in its 
effort to solve cases and bring justice to the victims of crimes. In 
particular, victims of rape and sexual assault will be able to regain 
peace of mind because this legislation increases the likelihood that 
these perpetrators will be captured. The language of the Rapid DNA Act 
gives law enforcement investigators the ability to facilitate the quick 
testing of DNA tests, such as rape kits. DNA material is sensitive and 
has only a limited time before it is rendered useless. This act 
addresses the issue by removing some of the preexisting regulations and 
red tape that have hindered this process in the past.
  It is a disservice to the American people to deny them the results 
from a Rape Kit. They deserve the truth. The Constitution of the United 
States ensures that every citizen of the United States of America has 
the right to privacy, as stated in the Fourth Amendment to the Bill of 
Rights of the U.S. Constitution. The Rapid DNA Act of 2017 will 
increase the chance that those who committed such wrongs and those who 
have inhumanely violated the basic rights and dignity of another person 
are brought to justice by streamlining the process and by reducing 
regulations around the testing of these kits.
  H.R. 510 would provide amendments to the DNA Identification Act of 
1994 and the DNA Backlog Analysis Backlog Act of 2000 that require more 
external regulation for all Rapid DNA tests. Organizations performing 
such tests would still be audited by the Federal government to ensure 
the quality of test. It will also be accredited by credible, nonprofit 
institutions that will lend the imprimatur of reliability.
  I fully support this measure and I am firmly committed to bringing 
justice to offenders of these crimes. This bill will provide relief to 
the countless victims of sexual assault. Rape kits often go untested 
because of existing regulations that make it more difficult to test 
such time sensitive data. I support this legislation.

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