Prepared Floor Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
“Delay of the Survivors’ Bill of Rights”
Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Mr. President, I had hoped to be on the floor today to celebrate the passage of the Survivors’ Bill of Rights. However, as is the case far too often in Washington, political gamesmanship is taking precedent over sound policy. The Democrat leadership is holding up this bill for purely political reasons.

The Democrat leadership is delaying passage of this noncontroversial bill, despite the fact that it enjoys broad bipartisan support. They are holding up this bill, despite the fact that it is critical to help victims of sexual violence. They are holding this bill, despite the fact that this same language passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously. They are holding up this bill, despite the fact that it passed the Senate 89-0 and the House 399-0.

The Survivors’ Bill of Rights has been championed by a courageous rape survivor, Amanda Nguyen. Amanda is the founder and president of RISE, a group which worked closely with me on the development of this Survivors Rights Package to establish new rights for survivors of sexual assault.

Amanda was the victim of sexual assault as a college student. Her struggle with the criminal justice system in the aftermath of this traumatic event transformed her into a tireless, young advocate for survivors of sexual violence.

Sexual violence impacts millions of American women and men in our country every year. Victims of such crimes should not face such an uphill battle in their pursuit of justice. That’s why I included this same language in the Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act. That bill, which makes grants available to help states track convicted sex offenders, unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate just a few months ago.

I’m very proud to have shepherded this bill through the Judiciary Committee. It is commonsense legislation. For months, I urged the House Judiciary Committee to pass this bill. Thankfully, that committee and the full House passed this bill just a few weeks ago. Now the Senate must act so we can send it to the President. Unfortunately, Democrat leadership has chosen partisan politics over helping victims of sexual violence.

Since the House passed this legislation, Amanda has been checking in with my office nearly daily on the status of when the Senate will pass this bill. While Republicans are poised to move forward, Democrat leadership has continued to stall her efforts.

Among other things, this bill ensures that each and every survivor of sexual assault should have equal access to all available tools in their pursuit of justice. This includes proper collection and preservation of forensic evidence. The Survivors’ Bill of Rights also secures a package of new rights for sexual assault survivors.  

Amanda has been working with both parties to help fellow survivors. It’s been an honor to work alongside her on this critical piece of legislation.  
I will fight for Amanda and every survivor of sexual assault until this bill passes.

I call on the Democrat leadership to stop delaying this bill immediately. We have an important bipartisan opportunity to improve the criminal justice system for survivors of sexual assault. So today, I ask the Democratic leadership to simply put the victims of sexual violence first.  Put these courageous individuals above partisan politics. We’ve done this before, and we should do it again.

I yield the floor.

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