Pryce Praises House Vote to Aid Rape Victims and Eliminate Backlog of DNA Analysis 

House of Representatives Passes Bill to fund Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary           

Washington – U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH-15) supported legislation on the House floor today that will provide nearly $40 billion in funds to the Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary.  Included in this legislation is a sizeable increase in funding to help eliminate the DNA analysis backlog, an issue Pryce has championed.  Earlier this year, Pryce submitted a request to Chairman Frank Wolf of the Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee to provide $176 million for this program.  The legislation passed the House by a vote of 397 to 18.

Last year, Congress provided $100 million for this program.  The legislation Pryce supported would provide a total of $176 million – an increase of over 75 percent.  This critical program provides funding to link DNA obtained at rape scenes to the DNA of felons already convicted of crimes through the FBI’s combined DNA Index System. 

“DNA analysis is often the best chance we have to close a painful chapter in the lives of women who have been the victims of rape and sexual assault.  It is also the best chance to put rapists behind bars before they have a chance to repeat their crimes,” Pryce said.  “This funding will go a long way toward speeding up the processing of untested DNA.”

The legislation also includes over $5 billion for the FBI to enhance training and information technology to improve intelligence and counterterrorism capabilities; over $1.6 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration; $3 billion for assistance to state and local law enforcement for crime fighting initiatives, which includes $113 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program and $384 million for violence against women prevention and prosecution programs. 

In addition, the legislation includes $320 million for the Economic Development Assistance Programs to assist communities struggling with long-term economic downturns; $1.5 billion to continue worldwide security improvements and replacement of vulnerable embassies; over $1.8 billion for Contributions to International Organizations and International Peacekeeping Activities to fund anticipated assessments for the United Nations and other international organizations; $335 million for Legal Services Corporation; and $12.5 billion to help America’s small businesses access capital. 

It will now be up to the Senate to consider this appropriations measure.