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The Debbie Smith Act
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"I met Debbie Smith in June of 2001 at a hearing I held in the Government Reform Committee on DNA. When she was done telling her story, there wasn't a dry eye in the room.
"I decided to author legislation titled 'The Debbie Smith Act' in the 107th Congress in order to get rapists off the streets. Mrs. Smith was unable to identify her masked attacker, but DNA, as we know, is better than many eyewitness accounts. DNA doesn't forget, and DNA cannot be intimidated by defense counsel.
"Six years after Mrs. Smith was raped, DNA helped to identify her attacker." - Representative Carolyn B. Maloney |
Representative Carolyn Maloney and Debbie Smith at a March 4, 2003 press conference announcing the introduction of "The Debbie Smith Act" in the 108th Congress. |
I. What the Bill Does
II. Background
III. Current List of Cosponsors
IV. Recent Developments: DNA Analysis
**For information regarding DNA evidence collected for a specific victim or offender, please contact the state/local crime lab, law enforcement agency, hospital, or prison responsible for collecting and testing that sample. For information regarding the laws in your state/locality, please contact the office of your state attorney general, local district attorney's office, magistrate, or Member of Congress.**
Some Links to Visit Regarding the Debbie Smith Act:
H-E-A-R-T: Hope Exists After Rape Trauma www.h-e-a-r-t.info
Information about
the Debbie Smith Act from the 107th Congress
Department of Justice's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program
Lifetime Television www.lifetimetv.com
RAINN www.rainn.org
Court TV http://www.courttv.com/news/2003/0424/rapekit_ctv.html
Stop Domestic Violence
www.stopfamilyviolence.org
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
www.ncadv.org
Safe Horizon
www.safehorizon.org
National Domestic Violence Hotline http://www.ndvh.org/
Press Releases on the Debbie Smith Act
November 1, 2004 - Debbie Smith Act is Finally Public Law
October 9, 2004 - Debbie Smith Bill, Included in DNA Legislation, Passes Senate; Soon on Its Way to President’s Desk
September 22, 2004 - DNA Bill Finally Passes Senate Committee
April 1, 2004 - JUST-RELEASED DOJ REPORT ESTIMATES 169,000 RAPE CASES WITH UNTESTED DNA EVIDENCE
March 9, 2004 - REPS. GREEN, MALONEY, 30 OTHERS URGE SENATE TO SCHEDULE IMMEDIATE VOTE ON H.R. 3214 TO GET RAPISTS OFF THE STREETS
November 5, 2003 - DEBBIE SMITH BILL PROVISIONS APPROVED
October 3, 2003 - Maloney's Legislation to Stop Rape Crimes
July 17, 2003 - REP.
CAROLYN MALONEY APPLAUDS HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE FOR HOLDING HEARING ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF DNA EVIDENCE
March 11, 2003 - MALONEY
LAUDS DECISION BY ASHCROFT TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR DNA BACKLOG
March 4, 2003 - THE
DEBBIE SMITH ACT WILL PUT RAPISTS IN JAIL
March 21, 2002 - RAPE: HOW DNA CAN STOP IT --
What "The Debbie Smith Bill" Will Do to Reform DNA Evidence Collection
and Fight Sexual Assault
September 9, 2001 -
WHAT "THE DEBBIE SMITH BILL" WILL DO TO REFORM DNA EVIDENCE COLLECTION AND
FIGHT SEXUAL ASSAULT
Endorsements:
The Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN), The National Center for Victims of Crime, Lifetime Televison, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, Emergency Nurses Association, Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, StopFamilyViolence.org, The Intercollegiate Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Ms. Magazine, The Oregonian, National Council of Women's Organizations, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, American College of Nurse Practitioners, and the National Training Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
Compiled by the Office of Carolyn B. Maloney
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