[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 60 (Friday, April 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H3230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS

  (Mr. CHABOT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, this is National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 
and back in 2004, I introduced the Crime Victims' Rights Act, which was 
signed into law by President Bush as part of the Justice for All Act.
  Under that landmark legislation, crime victims were finally awarded 
criminal rights in Federal criminal cases, including the right to 
protection, the right to timely notice not to be excluded and to be 
heard at all public hearings, the right to confer with the prosecutor, 
the right to restitution, the right to a speedy trial, and the right to 
privacy.
  Several years later, the GAO found that too many victims were not 
aware of these important rights and that more needed to be done to 
educate victims. You see, in civics class, we all learned about the 
rights of the accused, but very little attention is given to the rights 
of victims.
  Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate National Crime Victims' Rights Week 
this week, it is important that we make sure victims know what their 
rights are under the law. It is the least we can do to show victims the 
respect and dignity that they deserve.

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