[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5767-5768]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDWARD R. ROYCE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 7, 2014

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, this week is National Crime Victims' Rights 
Week. This is an important reminder that there is much work still to be 
done to promote the rights and needs of victims of crime in our 
communities.
  As a State senator, I was the author of the first anti-stalking law 
in the country--before this legislation, there was very little legal 
protection available for stalking victims. I also worked to establish 
rights for crime victims in California's state constitution as author 
and campaign co-chair of Proposition 115. Proposition 115 gives victims 
the rights to a speedy trial, reduces the number of times crime victims 
must testify, increases sentences and punishment, and requires 
reciprocal discovery of evidence.
  When I arrived in Congress, I made it a priority to address stalking 
at the federal level. In 1996, I introduced the Interstate Stalking 
Punishment and Prevention Act, which was signed

[[Page 5768]]

into law, making it a felony to cross state lines to stalk someone. I 
am also a cosponsor of a Victims' Rights Amendment, which gives victims 
of crime the same protections as their offenders. Crime victims deserve 
equal consideration in the criminal justice process. In addition, I am 
a cosponsor of Justice for Crime Victims Act of 2014, legislation to 
legislatively further some of the same goals of the Amendment.
  There is also much work to be done to serve victims of human 
trafficking--a growing issue in Southern California. That's why I've 
cosponsored the Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Human 
Trafficking Act. This legislation helps ensure that child welfare 
agencies have the necessary tools to understand the unique needs of 
child trafficking victims and the resources to appropriately serve 
them.
  I encourage you to visit http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/incvrw/ to learn more 
about Crime Victims' Rights Week and what we can be doing in our local 
communities to raise awareness about the rights, needs, and concerns of 
victims and survivors of crime.

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