Movement needed for Federal Sexual Assault Legislation

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

On September 12, the Senate UNANIMOUSLY passed the Sexual Assault Justice Act (S. 2513), sponsored by Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE). This bill will help bring rapists to justice and keep women safe by ensuring that rape evidence kits are properly collected by trained nurses, promptly tested for DNA evidence and information entered into a federal database. On September 13, the bill was delivered to the House of Representatives for their prompt action. However, for the past 2 weeks there has been no movement on the bill - and the legislative session is quickly coming to an end! There should be broad support for this bill in the House as there was in the Senate - after all what legislator would vote against a bill to help catch rapists and keep women safe - especially when they are facing re-election. Yet, surprisingly, for the past 2 weeks, House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) has failed to bring S. 2513 up for a vote. You can help! Utilize the Stop Family Violence web site to send pre-written letters to you legislator on this an other violence issues today! More information...

http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/sfvo/index.html

[Youda]

Karen, can you post the Bill verbatim? The reason I ask is that having worked in politics, sometimes a bill stalls because the House tacks something completely unrelated, and controversial at the end of a good bill in hopes of passing the questionable legislation, forcing legislation through by using the popular Bill to do it. I'm wondering if that is what is happening here. I'd have to see the Bill itself to figure out why the Senate is stalling it.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Try:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c107:4:./temp/~c107lW9WAa::

IF that doesn't work go to Thomas and type in Bill #:S. 2513

http://thomas.loc.gov/

[Youda]

Wow! Thanks for that link! I'll have fun following bills now!

This is what I learned: The bill itself (S2513) is actually an ammendment to the 2000 version of the bill. This ammendment provides additional resources and funding to achieve the 2000 bill, DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000. This ammendment went to the Crime and Terrorism subcommittee on October 7, 2002. Definitely need to watch it and be sure it doesn't stall in subcommittee.

But, basically, this law has been in effect since 2000.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Karen thank you for posting this. I was raped in March and no one was ever caught. OMG now I wonder if the kit is just sitting somewhere. I feel ill.........

renerian/susan

[l.rae]

Karen, l have my Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner cert...this hit a nerve for me...thanks for the link..l used it.......LR