The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS' BILL OF RIGHTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Senate section on pages S3051-S3052 on May 23, 2016.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS' BILL OF RIGHTS
Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I am here to thank my colleagues for their strong, overwhelming, bipartisan support for the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights, an act that I have been proud to help lead and champion, along with my colleagues, Senators Shaheen and Leahy. It is a cause that I championed as a prosecutor and law enforcer in my State, as the Federal prosecutor, U.S. attorney, and then as our attorney general in the State of Connecticut. It is a cause that deserves this kind of overwhelming, bipartisan support because for too long survivors of sexual assault have been denied the basic care and rights they need and deserve, and for too long they have been victimized twice--first by an assailant who fundamentally violated their rights and then by the court system and a law enforcement system that failed to respect and recognize their need for those rights to be enforced effectively.
When a survivor of sexual assault engages the criminal justice system, she must be secure, absolutely confident and trusting in her rights and empowered to make informed decisions. Reporting sexual assault requires incredible courage, bravery beyond the imagination of many who fail to understand how much courage is required, and too often the system fails to respect those rights. She deserves a system that is worthy of that bravery.
Too often, survivors are simply uninformed about what is happening, not told about basic evidence and proceedings, and they find that vital evidence was destroyed without their consent or encounter Byzantine procedural barriers to justice. That is wrong.
This bill represents important steps toward a system that mirrors unsparing prosecution of people who commit these heinous offenses with sensitive and fair treatment of survivors.
Currently, depending on the jurisdiction, there are a wide array of different practices and procedures. Sexual assault victims often experience a complex and cryptic maze of policies that deter those survivors from pursuing justice.
This legislation will address unique challenges faced by sexual assault survivors, particularly regarding notice, access, and preservation of evidence. The preservation of evidence is particularly important because the sexual assault evidence collection kits are absolutely vital to justice and successful prosecution.
This bill would empower survivors to make more informed decisions throughout the criminal justice process by supporting State efforts to better notify survivors of available resources as well as applicable State rights and policies.
Finally, the bill will establish a joint Department of Justice and Health and Human Services working group to more effectively implement best practices regarding the care and treatment of survivors across the country--a beacon of information and leadership from the Federal Government to assure that sexual assault survivors are treated with the respect they need and deserve. It is that simple.
This legislation does not address every barrier faced by victims of sexual assault. There is no question that more action is needed. To achieve that, State and local governments must follow suit and must create a culture, a changed culture of compassion for people who have experienced this heinous crime. It is a crime, and it should be treated as one of the most serious and outrageous crimes that anyone can commit. Today the Senate has sent a message that we side with survivors. We are on their side. We will do everything in our power to lighten the burden and pain they bear and help them seek both justice and healing, which they truly deserve.
I thank my great friends and colleagues Senator Shaheen and Senator Leahy for their leadership on this issue. I have been proud to join with them. I thank the Connecticut groups CONNSACS, the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, and the many leaders in Connecticut who have made our State such an important engineer of progress in this area.
Again, it is a journey that must be continued. The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women has done great work and provided important leadership in this area. I thank Amanda Nguyen for her courage and hard work to make this day a reality. All of my colleagues who joined today in supporting this measure can be proud of the work we have done, the leadership we have shown, and the bipartisanship it took.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
