Congressman Steve Cohen and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) sponsored an amendment to the Omnibus Fiscal Year 2016 Spending Bill to add an additional $4 million to the budget for relieving the rape kit testing backlog. In addition to the $5 million Cohen secured last year, the overall funding level is now up to $45 million, a 25% increase over the last two years.
“When evidence is sitting on a shelf somewhere waiting to be tested, that means assailants are still at large and could be assaulting more victims. The backlog of untested rape kits across this country is shameful, and we need to commit the resources necessary to get them tested,” Congressman Cohen said.
The House and Senate are expected to vote on the 2016 Omnibus Fiscal Year 2016 Spending Bill later this week.