[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[SENAT]
[Pages 5393-5394]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED TODAY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate 
resolutions which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 448, S. Res. 
449, S. Res. 450, S. Res. 451, S. Res. 452, S. Res. 453, S. Res. 454, 
and S. Res. 455.
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolutions en bloc.


                              S. Res. 452

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today I submitted a bipartisan 
resolution recognizing that April is Sexual Assault Awareness and 
Prevention Month. Senators Leahy, Ayotte, Casey, Ernst, and Gillibrand 
have joined as cosponsors of the resolution, and I thank them for their 
support.
  Our purpose in introducing the resolution is to bring greater 
awareness to the problem of sexual assault and publicly acknowledge the 
survivors. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 
someone is sexually assaulted every two minutes, on average, in the 
United States. Sexual assault can take many forms, including rape, 
commercial sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, and stalking.
  Rape, which is the second most violent crime in the United States--
second only to murder, according to the FBI--can happen to anyone. 
According to the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the 
consequences of rape can be profound for its victims, and may include 
post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or even suicide.
  In communities across the United States, Americans have commemorated 
the month of April with activities designed to support survivors of 
sexual violence in their efforts to heal. Before the month comes to a 
close, it is important that Congress also express its support for the 
goals and ideals of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
  I would also like to take a moment to mention several other 
bipartisan, anti-sexual assault measures that I have championed during 
the month of April, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
these initiatives too.
  First, just last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I 
serve as chairman, cleared legislation that's designed to help sexual 
assault victims secure justice. I incorporated this language into the 
Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act, a measure I introduced earlier this 
year at the urging of a young woman who survived a sexual assault and 
founded an organization, RISE, that's dedicated to helping other 
survivors.
  The measure reported by our committee by voice vote on April 20th 
would amend the federal crime victims' statute to add a number of new 
rights specific to sexual assault survivors. If it's enacted, victims 
of federal crimes of sexual violence would have the right not to be 
prevented from, or charged for, receiving a medical forensic exam. They 
would have the right to have a sexual assault evidence collection kit 
preserved, without charge, until the statutory limitations period for 
prosecuting the crime has expired or ten years has elapsed. They would 
have the right to be informed of the results when their forensic 
evidence is analyzed. And they would have the right to written notice 
of policies governing their evidence kit's collection and preservation, 
as well as the right to notice if that evidence is about to be 
discarded.
  The latest version of the Adam Walsh Reauthorization also would make 
Justice Department grants available to entities that notify sexual 
violence victims of any applicable rights under state law. Finally, 
this legislation would extend the statutory period in which child 
survivors of human trafficking and child sexual abuse offenses can file 
suit against the perpetrators. The bill has been endorsed not only by 
RISE but also by the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, and the National 
Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Senators Schumer, Hatch, Feinstein, 
Leahy, Shaheen, Coons, Durbin, and Klobuchar have joined as cosponsors.
  Also last week, I joined Senator Gillibrand in calling on President 
Obama to take additional steps to investigate military sexual assault. 
We contacted the President to voice our concerns shortly after an 
organization known as Protect Our Defenders released a report 
questioning the accuracy of congressional testimony by a Pentagon 
official during a hearing on sexual assault in the military.
  Last but not least, due to my concerns about campus sexual assault, I 
am an original cosponsor of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act. I 
joined Senators Heller, McCaskill, Gillibrand, Ayotte, and others in 
introducing this bill last year. It would make additional support 
services available to student survivors of campus rape, require 
training standards and uniform discipline procedures for campus 
officials, and add transparency requirements for the Nation's 
universities. Earlier this week, the cosponsors of this measure came 
together to publicly call for prompt action on this legislation.
  Mr. President, I will close by urging my colleagues to support 
adoption of the resolution we have submitted today.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions 
to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolutions were agreed to.
  The preambles were agreed to.
  (The resolutions, with their preambles, are printed in today's Record 
under ``Submitted Resolutions.'')
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

[[Page 5394]]


  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. 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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