WASHINGTON – Legislation to help boost efforts for sexual assault victims and end human trafficking moved forward in the United States Senate this week, Senator Chuck Grassley said. Grassley, the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over the legislation, supported both bills.
“These bills give a real lift to our efforts to help sexual assault victims and end human trafficking,” Grassley said. “These are horrible crimes that deserve attention.”
The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act passed the Senate late last night after being passed by the House of Representatives in April. The bill will now be sent to the President to be signed into law. The legislation works to end the backlog of rape kits, provide DNA training for law enforcement and other officials who work on sexual assault cases, and distribute sexual assault forensic exam program grants.
“The House passed the Debbie Smith bill nearly six months ago, so to have it finally cleared by the Senate Majority, who had blocked it earlier, is helpful to victims of sexual assault everywhere,” Grassley said. Grassley had also voted to reauthorize the Debbie Smith Act in the Senate Judiciary Committee last year.
In addition, legislation cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee that would create a new block grant program for victim-centered anti-human trafficking programs (paid for by a new $5,000 special assessment on those convicted of certain trafficking and sex crimes), increase restitution for human trafficking victims, make it easier to obtain wiretaps in human trafficking investigations, and enhance human trafficking reporting.
“This bill would give law enforcement a real helping hand in going after human traffickers right here in our country. It would also create a new avenue to assist victims and those who work to help end these heinous crimes,” Grassley said.
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