[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15290-15291]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                DEBBIE SMITH REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2014

  Mr. LEAHY. I see my good friend, the senior Senator from Texas, on 
the floor, and I am about to ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4323.
  Before I do, Senator Cornyn has been very interested in this. This is 
the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act. I have been working with Debbie 
Smith since her bill was first introduced in 2001. He is probably one 
of the few Senators who was here with me at that time when I first 
supported it. It is to improve access to rape kits, testing, and 
services for survivors of sexual assault.
  Senator Cornyn has been a strong supporter. I know he also supports 
the Justice for All Act as well, something he cosponsored, and the 
distinguished Republican leader has.
  I would like to get them all passed. I realize one Republican--not 
the Senator from Texas--is objecting to passing the Justice for All 
Act, and I don't want to pit one against the other.
  Because at least this one expires this month, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4323, 
which was received from the House.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 4323) to reauthorize programs authorized under 
     the Debbie Smith Act of 2004, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements related to the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. McCONNELL. Simply reserving the right to object, and obviously I 
am not going to object, I am very happy we could reauthorize this 
important piece of legislation. I have had an opportunity to get to 
know Debbie Smith pretty well, as Senator Cornyn and Senator Leahy 
have. We have met on several occasions.
  The bill passed the House of Representatives a few months ago on a 
voice vote. We tried to clear it when it came over here. Unfortunately, 
there was an objection on the other side of the aisle. But I am glad we 
are where we are and that the bill will be reauthorized.
  It is certainly fitting for Congress to pass this bill that is named 
for such a tireless advocate for those who suffered this terrible 
abuse.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, reserving the right to object, and I 
won't object, let me use this occasion to say to the chairman of the 
Judiciary Committee how much I appreciate his leadership and 
cooperation.
  Obviously, Senator McConnell, Senator Leahy, and I are all cosponsors 
of the bigger piece of legislation, the Justice for All Act. I share 
Senator Leahy's desire--I am sure shared by the Republican leader--that 
we pass that today. But since we can't do that, and since we are 
engaged in the art of the possible, this is a good outcome--not just 
for Debbie Smith, who, as we have all heard, has been a tireless 
advocate for testing this backlog of rape kits, which holds 
extraordinary power to both identify the perpetrators in sexual 
assaults and exonerate people who are not implicated by a DNA test, but 
as we know, we have had a huge backlog, and the Debbie Smith 
Reauthorization Act renewal is bipartisan legislation that will provide 
funds for law enforcement officials to deal with the national scandal, 
which the rape kit backlog is.
  Amidst the frustration we all experience in the Senate from time to 
time, this is good news and this represents progress.
  So I will agree with the unanimous consent request.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Reserving the right to object--and obviously I too 
won't--on behalf of all the women of the Senate, I thank Senator Leahy 
for his consistent, persistent leadership on this issue, and Senator 
Cornyn.

[[Page 15291]]

  This is how the Senate ought to work--on a bipartisanship basis, 
meeting a compelling need, and then being able to move it in an 
expeditious way.
  But for rape victims everywhere to know that we can deal with this 
backlog and because good men stood up for women who have been wronged 
really is one of the edifying moments of today.
  I thank the Senators for it and withdraw my objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Hearing no objection, the request is agreed 
to.
  The bill (H.R. 4323) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.
  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I will continue to work with the 
distinguished senior Senator from Texas on the Justice for All Act. 
Ninety-nine Senators agree to pass it and only 1 is objecting. It 
requires a rollcall vote when we come back in November. I hope we can 
have that rollcall vote perhaps in a timely rotation. And with 99 
Senators who say they support it, the 1 Senator who has been blocking 
it can vote against it. But those of us who have been in law 
enforcement know how important it is.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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