Wagner Bill to Reduce Rape Kit Backlog Unanimously Approved by Judiciary Committee

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement after her Debbie Smith Act, legislation that provides funding to law enforcement to analyze untested rape kits, was approved by the House Judiciary Committee:

“There are far too many victims who have had to go without justice due to the unconscionable rape kit backlog.  My bill, the Debbie Smith Act of 2023, will provide critical funding to our state and local law enforcement so rapists and other violent offenders can be identified and held accountable for their horrific crimes.  Thank you to the House Judiciary Committee for advancing this important bill, and I look forward to the whole House showing our support for victims by passing this bipartisan legislation.”

Background

H.R. 1105, the Debbie Smith Act of 2023, would reauthorize the DNA Backlog Elimination Program from FY2024 through FY2029. This program provides support to law enforcement and crime labs in all 50 states to analyze untested rape and sexual assault kits, improve law enforcement’s timely collection of DNA evidence, and enhance prosecutors' capacity to bring this evidence to trial.

Since it was first enacted in 2004, this program has directly supported the analysis of over 1.79 million DNA cases, resulting in more than 308,000 hits in the federal DNA criminal database—representing 56% of all DNA matches.